Vengeance
by Shield-Maiden-of-Sherwood
Summary: Sequel to Betrayal. While hiding in the sanctuary and awaiting news of King John and the Black Knights, Eva finds the letter William wrote to her before his death and revealing his mysterious past. In light of this new information, Eva travels to Scotland and, hearing news of Delvin, seeks an army and an alliance with the great viking himself, Ragnar Lothbrok.
1. Previously in Betrayal (Recap)

Previously in _Betrayal_

* * *

 **A/N: This is just a recap for those who want to know what happened in the first book. If you have finished reading _Betrayal_ previously and feel like you don't need a reminder of what has already happened, feel free to jump ahead to chapter 1 (technically the prologue)! Don't worry, you won't miss a thing. For those who are new to the series or those who just want a quick reminder of past events, read on!**

* * *

In the first installment of the _Shadow Hunters_ _trilogy_ , the story centers around a female assassin named Eva. When Eva was a bit younger when William, a member of the Shadow Hunters, killed her abusive stepfather and, not wanting to leave her alone to starve, takes her with him back to the Sanctuary. Delvin, the leader of the assassins, is annoyed by William's request to let her join but eventually gives in. For years, William is tasked with training Eva and over time they grow close, fall in love and get married.

Three years into the marriage, William decides that he's done with being an assassin and asks for Delvin's blessing to leave with his wife to make a new life for themselves. Shocked by this request, Delvin sends William, Eva and the other three assassins on a contract to kill the Prince of York and says that he will give Will his answer when they get back.

After a successful mission, the group starts to head back to the Sanctuary. Eva and Will share a romantic moment together and Will tells her about his plan to start over together. The next day, the group is ambushed by a group of bandits that they find out were hired by Delvin to kill them all. However, the plan mostly fails except for when one of the bandits runs a sword right through William right in front of Eva, leaving him to die in her arms. Once her beloved is gone, Eva is out for blood when she rides back to the Sanctuary to confront him only to find two bandits looting the place. Killing one and taking the other as a prisoner, she finds out that Delvin fled to Bradford and forces the bandit to agree to take her to him before knocking him out.

Once the bandit is locked in a room, the rest of the group returns and they have a funeral for William and allow Eva to say goodbye. William's last willing testament is read and Eva receives her husband's things including a letter addressed to her from her late husband which gets put away, unread.

The next day Eva wakes Isaac (the bandit) and they set out for Bradford. In her vulnerable state, during their journey together, Eva bonds with Isaac and finds out that while he was hired by Delvin, he didn't actually know him and that he also lost his spouse when a northmen raiding party came through his village. Isaac tells Eva how the northmen forced him to watch as one of the men raped and kill his pregnant wife before setting their home on fire. Eva taught him how to shoot a bow so that he could serve as a backup when they found Delvin.

During their travel, they come across Isaac's old group whom are holding some women hostage. They tie up the other bandits and interrogate them to find out about a man named Giles who is set to pick up a customized sword and deliver it to Delvin in Bradford. Eva then kills the men and releases the women. One of the women turn out to be the daughter of the blacksmith whom is making the sword and offers to help them and gives them the sword. They hunt down Giles and kill him so he can't go back after the blacksmith or his daughter and ride to Bradford. Once there, Eva has second thoughts about bringing Isaac as she has started to care for him during their time together and sends him away to wait for her.

Acting as a courier, Eva delivers the sword to Delvin and she reveals her identity to him by pulling off her hood only to find out he's been expecting her. The two fight it out and in the end, Delvin lies on his back with Eva standing above him, Will's sword poised above his heart and ready to avenge her husband. Isaac, seeing another one of the assassins heading to where Eva and Delvin are, runs back to warn her but is knocked out. As Eva is about to slam the blade through Delvin's heart, Lucia, Eva's fellow assassin, shows up and shoots Eva with a tainted arrow allowing Delvin to slit her neck and wrists while he and Lucia flee. Luckily the tainted arrow was to slow her heart so that she wouldn't bleed out while two guards, who turn out to be the other two assassins, are able to tend to and save her.

Waking up at the Sanctuary a week later, she finds that Isaac stayed to make sure she was okay and that Lucia and Delvin fled to somewhere in France.

While awaiting more information on Delvin's plans and whereabouts, Eva recruits Isaac and trains him for the next few years as Will did with her. The two grew to be close friends and inseparable.

One day while coming back from completing a contract, they stop in Papplewick to try and see if they can learn anything new about Delvin. Instead, they are recognized by King John's guards as wanted assassins and hauled off to Nottingham. Eva is brought before the King and given a deal. Her freedom and gold in exchange for killing Robin Hood. She agrees and is told that she is to make him fall in love with her then when he is most vulnerable, kill him.

Isaac is also released as her backup and, unlike the previous people John hired to kill Robin, they are able to locate him after about a month of tracking and convince Robin to let them join by Eva showing off her skill with a bow.

Over the course of a year, Robin and Eva become close and start falling for each other as Eva's guilt about her secret mission and her need to avenge William starts to consume her. Then, after a passion filled night between the two, she finally realizes that she loves Robin and is unable to complete her deal with King John. Eva confesses her betrayal to Robin who, heartbroken, pushes her away and ties up Isaac. Eva flees back to Nottingham to turn herself in after failing to complete her task and she is sentenced to hang the next day.

Back at the camp, Isaac tries to explain Eva's betrayal and the reason she didn't go through with it. Not wanting to lose her, Robin sets Isaac free and the rest of the game except for Much go to rescue her.

The next day as Eva has the noose around her neck and is about to be hanged, Robin shoots the rope and she falls beneath the stage where her bonds are cut loose by Will Scarlet and the rest of the gang fights against the guards. Robin, who is shooting from a nearby tower sees Eva run back into the castle to retrieve Will's sword. The others are able to escape while Eva finds her late husband's sword and is cornered by Guy of Gisborne. He's about to strike her but Robin arrives and pins his arm to the wall with an arrow. When he gets loose, he calls the guards and they back Robin and Eva up into a corner. One of the guards are ordered to kill Robin and they get ready to shoot him in the heart but Eva steps in front of him and take the arrow to her right shoulder blade. She pushes Robin out the window and he lands in the water of the moat below before breaking the shaft of the arrow off and jumping in after him.

They narrowly escape and slowly make their way back to camp. Eva's wound wears her out but she's able to get bandaged up so she can make it to camp. Once there she and Isaac agree that now with King John's men and a group called the Black Knights after them, the only place safe for them to hide out is the Sanctuary.

They stop in Worksop where the Blacksmith and his daughter live. Eva finds out that he's sick and Isaac has courting his daughter, Sabine, for the past couple years. Robin and Eva try to get some alone time and rest but it is cut short when Will Scarlet comes to tell them that the guards are searching for them. They flee and make it to the Sanctuary near Southwell. Dyota, Eva's fellow assassin and the new leader, welcomes them and allows them to stay and hide out. The other assassin, Edric, is happy to see Isaac and Eva again after no word from them in a year and accidently makes Eva's wounded shoulder hurt more to the point that Will Scarlet's wife, Djaq, is forced to remove the arrow head. She is bandaged up after her wound is cauterized and her arm is put into a sling.

That brings us to book 2 where the assassins and outlaws live together in the Sanctuary while the King, the Black Knights, the Sheriff and Gisborne are looking for them.


	2. Prologue: The Way We Were

**_A/N: It's finally here! The sequel to_ Betrayal _has finally begun. Now I know that many people tend to skip the prologue in a story but I hope that nobody will skip this one. I have changed it about 3 times and have rewritten it at least 3-4 each time. A lot of research, time and effort has gone into this and I hope that those of you who read the first book will enjoy this book as well._**

 ** _For those who read this and worry that Robin Hood is no longer part of the story, fear not. While there will be flashbacks to Eva's time with William and scenes that focus on the Vikings, this is still a Robin Hood story and he will show back up._**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

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We were only married for 3 short years when Delvin betrayed us. William and I were close but there were so many things about his past that I never knew. I knew he was from Scotland but not from what area. While I told Theo that his father was a blacksmith, I actually had no idea what his life was like before joining the Shadows. I knew he had a younger brother but didn't know his name or even where he was so that I could tell him of his brother's untimely death. There was so much I still had to discover about him and yet that was all taken from me the moment William was gone.

From the moment Will introduced me, I knew Delvin hated me. I saw the annoyance behind his tight lipped smile as he asked William who I was. I was only fifteen years old my father was killed and I was swept away into the night by his murderer. When Will nudged me forward, I watched his expression as his upper lip curled in distain before putting on a fake smile and inviting me to meet the others while he pulled William aside. When they returned, I could see his reluctance as he welcomed me to the Shadows.

While the Shadow Hunters were still a name to be feared throughout England, their numbers had dwindled to the few that I had met and they were desperate for new recruits to help bring in the money and contacts to keep them in business. Luckily despite Delvin's reluctant acceptance, William was eager to train me.

We trained together for 3 years before I was allowed to fulfill any contacts. He taught me everything he knew from wielding a sword and shooting a bow as well as reading, writing and speaking many languages including French and Latin and blending into the shadows. He was a patient teacher who grew to be my close friend and confidant. I knew nothing of his personal feelings towards me but sometimes while reading from the text I was to study or simply talking to one of our shadow sibling, I could feel his gaze on me. Admittedly, within the first couple years, I found myself looking at him and fantasizing of a romance I thought would never happen. However, it wasn't until I was a young woman of nineteen and he was twenty-six when we finally admitted our feelings for one another.

It was my second contract and William went with me to ensure that I wouldn't mess it up; Or at least that's what he told Delvin. We had grown close during our training and while I was anxious to prove myself to Delvin and the others, I was secretly happy to have him tag along. Our target was a nobleman whose wife had a lover that paid us a large sum to get rid of him and make it look like an accident. After months of planning and pulling strings to get put on the list, we decided to finally make our move at King Richard's Coronation feast which he and his wife were invited to attend.

* * *

 **August 29th, 1189**

"He's mad!" I exclaim as I pace back and forth in William's room. I pause and swivel to face him. "He's trying to get me killed! I've only done one contract before this and now he expects me to kill somebody in the middle of the king's coronation feast!" I suddenly feel lightheaded and hold onto a nearby chair for support. "I feel like I'm going to pass out or be sick… or both." I close my eyes for a moment as a wave of nausea washes over me.

Will stands up from where he was sitting on his bed and walks over, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Lass, look at me." I glance at him as I take shallow, rapid breaths. "You need to calm down. Delvin wouldn't have given you this assignment if he didn't think you were capable of completing it."

I violently shake my head. "I can't. I'm not ready."

He offers me a smile. "Yes you are. You have proved yourself time and again in our training. I know you can do this."

"That was training! Even my first assignment wasn't as big as this! Before it was just some minor thief but now…"

"Lass…"

"There's going to be so many people around! What if they catch me in the act?"

"Lass… calm down."

"And the king!" I exclaim. "What will happen if I'm caught?"

"Eva!"

I shake my head again. "No. I need to go back to Delvin and declin—"

I'm cut off when suddenly, Will takes my face in his hands and presses his lips against mine. For a brief moment, I forget my previous panic as I'm feel Will's lips on mine and his hand cupping my jaw. He reluctantly pulls away, his hand still on the side of my face. Neither of us speak as we stand there in a stunned silence.

Our gazes meet and for a moment, I fear he can hear my quickly beating heart. His hand drops to his side and he steps back slightly.

"I… I apologize." He says. "That was… inappropriate."

I open my mouth to say something but can't think of what to say.

"Don't decline the contract." He says softly. "I'll speak with Delvin and see if I can go with you…that way I can make sure you complete the task that is required." He waits for me to reply but when I say nothing, he takes that as his cue to leave.

* * *

Later that night, I sat on my bed obsessing over the kiss. Even now, hours after it happened I feel the slight tingling on my lips and the warmth of his hand on my cheek. I am brought from my thoughts by a light knock on my door. Taking my robe from where it hung on a nearby chair, I slip it on and make my way to the door. As I open it, my heart races as I see William standing there.

"I hope I didn't wake you, Lass." He says. "I spoke with Delvin about your contract."

I step aside to allow him in and shut the door behind him. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. "What did he say? Will you be able to come with me?"

"Delvin has agreed that I should go to keep an eye on you. He's going to talk to his contacts about getting us invitations to the coronation." He pauses for a moment.

"Is everything alright?" I ask, frowning.

"About earlier…." He starts to say. "I would like to apologize about my sudden reaction. Seeing as I am your mentor, it was inappropriate."

"Oh…" I say turning away from him. "It's all right. It was in the heat of the moment. I was rambling and frantic." I say. I notice I am not entirely sure where I was going with this. I feel the heat rise to my cheeks. "It was definitely a way to shut me up." I jest. Immediately after I said it, I mentally scorned myself. Surprisingly, he lets out a chuckle.

"I guess so." He smiles. "Even so, I shouldn't have just done that without your permission."

Taken back by his chivalrous behavior, I held back everything that made me want to tell him that I enjoyed it and wanted it to happen again. I look down for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He waits and when I am silent, he begins to walk back towards the door. "Well, I feel I have kept you up long enough." He says, opening the door. "I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Lass."

"Goodnight William."

* * *

 **September 1st, 1189**

"Richard's coronation is in two days." Delvin looks between William and I. "Today you will both be riding out to Hertford where our contact, the Earl of Hertford has graciously allowed us access to his home, servants and carriage. He has already informed some of his staff that you two are his distant cousins and to prepare for your arrival." He glances over at me. "Therefore, I need you to act the part of a noblewoman with William as your husband. Try not to mess this up and get yourself or Will killed. Do you understand?"

I quickly nod. "Yes I do. I won't let you down."

"For your sake, let's hope not." He waves us off. "Get going. You need to go get ready and leave. They'll be expecting you."

William leaves before me and I am almost through the doorway when Delvin speaks again. "And Eva?"

My heart starts to pound as I turn to face him. "Yes?"

"Your shadow sisters are waiting for you in the ritual chamber. They will help you prepare for the journey."

I thank him and make my way to the chamber. When I arrive, I am quickly stripped of my clothing and given a basin to wash before I'm given a pair of overhose then dressed in a simple chemise. Next, Dyota helps me put on a beautiful burgundy bliaut dress with gold embroidering and Lucia Laces up the sides and helps me with the knotted belt. "Are you all right?" Dyota asks as I let out a shaky breath.

"Is it too tight?" Lucia frowns. "If so, I can let it out a little."

"I'm fine." I say, shaking my head. "I'm just nervous. It's at such a public event..."

"You'll be fine." Lucia says, offering me a smile. "You'll have Will with you. If a problem arises, he'll be able to step in and help you."

"I guess." I say. I look down at my hands and once more start thinking about the kiss we shared. Whenever he was around, I could feel my heart race as I waited for him to bring it up but he never did. Instead, he acted as though nothing had happened and treated me as he always did. The heat rises to my cheeks in embarrassment. Maybe it was just an accidental moment. Maybe in my panicked state, I tricked myself into believing there was more to it than just the heat of the moment.

Dyota brushes out my dark hair before plaiting and pinning it up. She puts on a jeweled hairnet and fastens it with a small circlet before standing back. "You look lovely, sister." She smiles. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were indeed a Lady of high ranking."

"I may look the part but if I don't act accordingly…"

She steps forward and tenderly takes my head in her hands like a mother would a child. "You need to believe in yourself. In all the time I've known you, I've seen how much you've improved. Besides, like Lucia said, if you have any problems, William will be there to help you."

As they mention him, there's a knock near the doorway. We turn to look and I see that William is in knight attire and his worn cloak with another cloak draped over his arm. Smiling, he gives a small bow. "M'lady." He greets.

I chuckle and dip into a small curtsy. "M'lord." He grins as he approaches and I feel the heat rise once more as I'm aware of my shadow sisters watching us. Will must have noticed as he looks at them.

"May I speak with Eva privately, please?" He asks.

"Of course, M'lord." Lucia says jokingly as she dips into an exaggerated curtsy of her own. Will laughs and waits until they are gone before turning his attention to me. My heart flutters nervously as I feel his gaze sweep over me.

"Relax, Lass." He says as he places his hand on my shoulder. "You'll do fine." I nod and wait as his eyes look me up and down before smiling. "You look lovely." He says softly. "However, you're missing one important part."

My eyes narrow as I look down at my dress. Before I can ask what he means, he gently takes my left hand and holds up a ring. "Can't be married without a ring, can you?"

My breath catches as he slips the ring on my ring finger. Once it's on, he continues to hold my hand, touching the ring with his thumb. He lets go of my hand and places the heavy brown cloak he was carrying around my shoulders. He fastens the clasp in front and holds out his arm. "Ready?"

I force a smile and nod as I take his arm. We walk together through the main hall and exit through the hidden entrance near Sherwood Forest. Once outside, I notice that there are not only two horses but four. "Will?" I say casting a glance at him. His brows knit together as he looks around. As he does so, I notice his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

"What are you waiting for?" Delvin says from behind us. The two of us turn in time to watch as he and Edric appear beside each other. "Well? Get mounted. We have a long ride ahead of us."

"We?" Will asks as we watch as he mounts one of the horses.

"You didn't really think I'd let you two go alone, did you?" He pulls back slightly on his reins as his horse fidgets anxiously. "You're supposed to be a Lord and Lady; Cousins to the Earl of Hertford. Without a carriage, you'll already have the suspicions of the staff. Therefore, Edric and I will accompany you to Hertford as your guards. We'll say that we were set on by bandits and had to leave the carriage and belongings. Once you are safely at the Earl's estate, you will "order" me bring news to the Earl at his castle in Kent of your safe arrival so that he can vouch for us." He motions for us to mount and Edric gets on his horse while Will helps me onto mine. Once settled, he fixes the back of my dress and cloak that spreads out behind me before climbing into the saddle of his own horse.

We rode from dawn to dusk, taking breaks every so often. At night, we were able to stay the night at the abbey of Peterborough and ate breakfast with the monks the next morning before continuing our journey to Hertford.

We finally arrived at the Earl's estate late at night and were all tired from the long journey from Peterborough. On our arrival, the stable hands greeted us and took each of our horses inside the stable, one by one. William helped me from my horse and led me towards the house. As we came near the door, we were greeted by an older man who I can only assume is the bailiff of the estate.

"Lord Hastings, I presume?" He bows.

"Yes. May I introduce my wife, Lady Hastings." He says as he nudges me forward.

"My Lady." He greets bowing once more. "My Lord, the Earl of Hertford, has informed me of your arrival. You will find a bedchamber has been prepared upstairs for you and your wife."

"Thank you…?"

"Hervey, Sir."

Will smiles. "Thank you, Hervey. If possible, I would like to have some water sent to our chambers so we can freshen up and we would like to have something to eat." He puts an arm around me. "We've been riding for a while and we are famished."

"Right away, M'lord." Hervey says. He turns to instruct the servants standing nearby as William looks at me. He smiles at me and touches my cheek.

"Edric will escort you to our room so you can freshen up. I will be up shortly, Lass."

As I'm led away by Edric, I can hear William telling Hervey of our attacked carriage and how our belongings were left behind as we fled for our lives.

As we walk together up the stairs, I turn to Edric and slower my voice so that only he can hear me. "Am I supposed to change my clothes?" I ask him, frowning. "If so, how? I don't have another dress."

We turn the corner and a servant shows us to one of the large rooms before curtsying and leaving us.

"It sounded like Will was just talking about that to the bailiff. I'd say just wait until he returns and then you can ask him."

I walk into the room and look around me in awe. The room is very large compared to my quarters at the Sanctuary with a door leading off to what I assume is another chamber. There's a large bed near the middle of the large room draped in dark blue and green with a large canopy. I'm so distracted by the rich surroundings that I hardly notice the young man tending to the fireplace. Once the fire is happily crackling away, he stands up and bows. "M'lady." He says before leaving the room.

Once he's gone, I unclasp my cloak and lay it over a nearby chair. Near the corner there's small end table with a large basin and ewer filled with water. I fill the basin and set the ewer off to the side and dip my hands into the cool water before splashing some on my face.

Before too long, William enters the room and closes the door behind him. As he walks towards me, he removes his cloak. "Alright Lass, the food will be served shortly so we need to change and return to the great hall."

"How? I only have this one dress?" I frown. I step back as he walks over to the basin and sets his cloak on a table nearby.

"I spoke to the bailiff and told him of our carriage and belongings being lost to bandits and he assured me that the Earl and his wife have allowed us use of their clothing." He smiles. "He said the Countess is about your size."

I open my mouth to ask about help with my dress when there's a knock at the door. Will and I exchange glances before he answers it. Seeing a servant, he steps aside to let her in. She curtsies to us both before entering. "M'lady." She says. I glance at William who nods.

"Very well, wife. I will let you dress and will meet you in the great hall." He bows and we both dip into a curtsey before he leaves the room.

The woman is mostly quiet as she helps me out of my dress. She fetches one of the Countess' dresses while I remove my overhose that I wore while riding. I wash off some of the grime from the journey before she helps me slip on this beautiful dark blue dress over my chemise and laces up the sides.

Growing anxious with the long silence I clear my throat. "What's your name?" I ask.

"Edith, M'lady." She says.

"Edith." I repeat thoughtfully.

"Yes, M'lady."

I glance at her. "It's a lovely name." I smile.

Her cheeks redden. "Thank you, M'lady."

Once I am ready, I thank her and leave the room to find Edric still standing nearby. Seeing me, he offers his arm.

"You changed." He says, glancing down at my dress. "You look nice."

"It belongs to the Countess." I take his arm and descend down the stairs. With each step I glance around for any sign of William or Delvin. Seeing neither, I frown and lean my head closer to Edric. "Where's Delvin?" I whisper. "Did he already leave?"

He shakes his head. "He's in the great hall with William."

We reach the end of the stairs and walk into the great hall where we are greeted by William and Hervey who were talking about the upcoming coronation.

The food is already lying out on one of the large wooden tables. As we enter the room, I immediately smell the spiced cooked meat and my mouth waters. Delvin stands off to the side with his hands folded before him. Our gazes meet and I quickly look down as I feel his judging eyes watching me until William mentions him.

"After we eat, I would like to send a letter with my guard here," He motions to Delvin, "to once again thank our cousin the earl for his hospitality and to warn him about the bandits we encountered. I feel he'd like to know about such things and to know that we arrived safely."

"Of course, Sir." Hervey says with a bow. "My Lord's study is open to you for use. I will make sure you'll have all that you need."

After Will thanks him, Hervey leaves us to eat in peace and the four of us sit down and begin to eat.

The meal was even more delicious than I could have imagined. It took every ounce of my being not to scarf it down and blow my cover in front of the servants who stood close by to refill our wine every so often.

We finished our meal and William dismisses himself to the study and Delvin escorts me back to my bedchamber. He holds my hand tightly on his arm that it starts to hurt but I say nothing.

"I am trusting you with this important task." He says quietly. "We can't afford any mistakes. Do you understand?" He grips my hand harder until my fingers begin to redden.

"Of course." I say. "As I've told you before, I won't let you down. William will be—"

"You can't always rely on William." He hisses. "William won't always be around to protect you. He might be your mentor but you need to learn self-reliance." We stop before the doorway and he turns to face me. "You need to learn how to think and act for yourself otherwise you're not fit for this profession." Taking my hand once more, he squeezes it and lifts it up to his lips. "And just remember, if you mess this up and I will take you out personally."

My heart pounds but I smile to him as a servant walks past us. "Please thank the countess for me for her generosity. Also I wish you a safe journey."

He nods. "Thank you M'lady. I will tell her." He presses his lips to the back of my hand and I feel a chill across my spine. He looks up at me with a venomous stare before he releases my hand and plasters a fake smile on his face. "Goodnight, M'lady." He bows and leaves me to join William in the study. I look to Edric who was walked not too far behind us to see if he had heard anything but he seemed oblivious. Seeing my worried expression, his eyes narrow. I look around before shaking my head. "Would you please fetch me one of the servant girls? I would like to change for bed."

He bows. "Of course M'lady."

As he walks away, I slip into my chamber and close the door, leaning against it. My heart is still pounding as Delvin's threat filled my thoughts. I quickly walk over to table and remove the circlet and jeweled hairnet. Hearing footsteps in my room, I turn and Edith dips into a curtsy. "M'lady." She greets.

I put on a fake smile as I approach her. "Hello Edith."

We make small talk as she unties the laces to my dress and helps me remove it so that I am in just my chemise. I remove my shoes and sit down and let her brush out my hair.

"Are you married, Edith?" I ask.

"No M'lady."

"I'm sure a lovely young woman like you has suitors?" I ask.

There's a silence before she speaks. "There is a man who fancies me…."

"Really? What is he like?" I ask, eager to be distracted with gossip. "Is he handsome?"

"He is." She says shyly. "Not as handsome as Lord Hastings…. but yes."

Thinking about Will, I feel my heart flutter. Edith is right. Will is a very handsome man with his short black hair and gentle light blue eyes. Even for somebody who kills people for a living, he has such a kind heart and is chivalrous. He's practically a knight out of fairy tales. I catch myself smiling when I'm brought from my thoughts as Edith continues.

"He's kind and passionate…."

"But?" I input as I know it's coming.

"But…" She pauses to set the brush on the table and I turn to look at her to see her blush.

"He's married."

I frown. "I'm so sorry."

She walks behind me once more and begins to put my hair in a braid. "Not to mention that his wife is very kind to me."

As she says this, I begin to realize who she's referring to but stay quiet. Once she finishes my hair I thank her and stand up. "Thank you Edith." I smile. "Does the Countess have a robe I can use? I would like to sit by the fire for a while before Lord Hastings returns."

"Of course." She walks away and comes back with a robe and helps me put it on. As I tie it shut, she goes over to the fireplace to stoke the fire. I thank her once more and she curtsies and leaves the room. Once she's gone, I sit in one of the chairs before the fire and await Will's return.

* * *

It seems like forever before he finally returns to the room. When he does, I am so entranced in the fames before me that I barely notice when he approaches me.

"Eva?"

I solemnly turn to look at him but remain quiet. He frowns and kneels beside me.

"What are you still doing up?" He asks softly as he watches emotionless face. "Were you waiting for me?"

I look back at the fire. "I'll go to bed soon. I want to sit here for a bit longer."

He touches my hand. "Lass, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

I clench my jaw. "Is Delvin gone?"

"Yes." He nods. "He left a few moments ago. Why? Did he say something to you?"

I begin to lie but something deep inside me wanted to tell somebody. I look at him and I can see the worry in his face as he waits for me to speak.

"He did. He reiterated how important this contract was and…" I break off and quickly stand up. Will stands as well and takes a step forward.

"And what?" He urges.

"I should get to sleep." I try to quickly dart away but Will puts his arm out. His hand grazes my waist, and I stop. My heart begins to race as I turn to look up at him. He slowly withdraws his arm and steps forward, taking my face in his hands so I can look him in the eye. "Eva, what else did he say?"

I frown. "He threatened me."

I watch as his softened expression hardens. "What do you mean?"

"He told me that if I mess this up, he will kill me, personally." As I finally say it, I feel a sudden sense of relief that makes tears well up in my eyes. Unexpectedly, Will pulls me close to him so my head rests on his shoulder and I close my eyes.

"Don't worry, Lass." I hear him whisper. "I won't let that happen."

I let out a cold, humorless laugh as I pull away from him. "That's the thing. He also told me I need to stop relying on you so much." A tear escapes and runs down my cheek. I go to wipe it away but Will brings his hand up to my cheek. He wipes my tear away and we look into each other's eyes.

"He said you won't always be around to protect me." I whisper. I break eye contact and look off to the side as I feel the heat rise to my cheeks. "He's right."

"Lass…" His expression soften. "You'll be fine. This is only your second contract. In time, you'll be able to complete contracts on your own without my help." Grinning, his hand drops from my faces he takes my hand in his and raises it to his lips. "But until then, I will be here to guide you and be by your side as your faithful knight, M'lady." As he presses a kiss to the back of it, his lips linger for a moment before releasing my hand.

He turns away and starts walking towards the adjoining chamber to change but pauses. He glances back at me and smiles. "Delvin may not see it but you're a lot tougher than you look." He exits the room and I smile to myself as I take off my robe and climb into the bed.

As I lie in bed, I find my thoughts turning from the possible festivities surrounding the coronation to thinking about the warmth of Will's hand as it gently touched my skin and the softness in his eyes as he looked at me. Even just thinking about the moment made the heat rise to my cheeks and my heart flutter. Ever since he became my mentor three years ago, I admired him. For somebody who killed people for money, I expected him to be brutish and aggressive yet he was kind, considerate and just. The night we met, he could have easily killed me then and there or left me to starve or make it so I would have had to turn to whoring to survive. He knew what would become of me and, against Delvin's wishes, brought me in and gave me a home, a family and a purpose.

Yet in the countless hours that we've spent together, I've grown fond of him. When he's bent over a table as he studies a book or a map, I notice the crease between his eyes as he concentrates or the way his expression softens from his usual serious expression when he looks at me. Whenever he's close to me or smiles, I feel my heart flutter and feel a sense of happiness I haven't felt since I was a little girl. Whenever he spoke my name or called me 'Lass', I can feel the excited prickling on my skin. Even earlier when his hand rested on my cheek as he tried to comfort me, I felt lightheaded and longed to feel his lips on mine once again.

Once again my thoughts change as I think about our kiss and how I longed for more when William walks back into the room wearing his nightshirt. Luckily his back is to me as he drinks one of the ales that Edith had placed on the table between the fireside chairs as I blush and lean back in a fail attempt to melt away. When he turns back, his eyebrows raise in surprise as he sees me. "You're still awake? I thought you would have been fast asleep by now, what with all the excitement."

I shake my head. "Quite the opposite. I find it hard to fall asleep because of the excitement. I've never been to a coronation before."

He sits down on the sit of the bed and takes off his boots. "I have. They are quite an event."

"You have? For whom?" I ask, as I lie on my side so I can face him with my head on my arm. "Tell me about it."

He places his boot on the floor before turning to look at me, chuckling. "It was for Phillip II."

My brows knit together in confusion. "The French king?"

"Aye." He smiles. "I was at his coronation 9 years ago at Notre-Dame de Reims. I watched as the Archbishop, Guillaume aux Blanches Mains, placed the crown of Charlemagne on his head."

"What made you attend such a prestigious event?" I ask. "Were you on a contract?"

He shakes his head. "No. This was a little before I joined the shadows."

I'm about to ask him about his life before the shadows but before I'm able to he climbs under the covers. "Well Lass, we should both get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow and you need to be fully rested." Frowning, I nod slowly and begin to turn onto my other side when he say, "Hey." I glance at him and he smiles. "In time I will tell you all about my previous life."

"I look forward to it."

He nods. "Goodnight, Lass."

* * *

 **September 3rd, 1189**

The next morning, I awoke to find that William was already gone; most likely making sure that everything is ready for our journey to London. Edith helps me into another one of the Countess' bliauts. I am dressed beautiful bluish green with gold orphreys and matching belt before Edith styles braids my hair and pins it up before putting on my veil that is held on by a circlet.

"Is there anything else, M'lady?"

I shake my head. "That's all for now. Thank you Edith."

She curtsies and leaves the room leaving me alone in the room. Once she's gone, let out a breath as I drop down onto the side of the bed. Today is the day that I must prove myself to Delvin. I place my head in my hands as a wave of nausea sweeps over me and I feel like I'm about to be sick. My breathing quickens so much that I feel like I am suffocating.

Once I'm able to regain control of myself, I take a deep breath, stand up and smooth out the front of my dress. "I can do this." I mutter to myself.

I make my way to the great hall where Will is speaking with Edric when I arrive. I approach them and Will turns to look at me. His eyes scan my dress and he smiles. "Good morning, My lady."

Returning his smile, I dip into a curtsy. "My lord."

"Please check to make sure the carriage is ready. Once we're finished eating, we'll be ready to head out." He tells Edric. In response he nods and quickly leaves. Will takes my hand and kisses it.

"You look lovely, Lass." He says as he leads me over to the table.

My stomach still feels as queasy but I try my best to eat a little here and there. Once we're finish, Will motions to a young boy maybe my age who brings over a beautiful blue cloak that's lined with fur. Thanking him, Wil takes it from the boy and throws it around my shoulders and ties it.

"It's a bit chilly outside." He explains as I give him a questioning look. "Don't want you to catch something on the way to the coronation."

* * *

During the couple hours we spend in the Earl's carriage, Will goes over the plan again to ensure I remember. "At the most opportune time," He says handing me a small vile. "You will pour this into his wine."

I carefully take the vile and examine it. "What is it?"

"It's a poison mixture that Edric made. Our target, Duke Hagley, is known to be quite the drunk. When dancing starts, he will probably already be partially drunk and will be easier to make our move."

I nod but remain quiet when he leans over and grasps my hand. "I know you're nervous but just remain vigilant and stealthy when you make your move. I will try to engage him in conversation but the rest is up to you."

"I won't to let you down." I say, surprisingly calm. He offers me a smile but right now I can't even fake a smile. I look out the window and take a deep breath. Whatever happens today will decide my fate.

* * *

The coronation takes place at Westminster Abbey in front of a mass of people from all social ranks. Richard, the Duke of Normandy and future king of England, is much taller than I had thought he'd be as he stands before the large altar surrounded by the relics of saints and holy men. "For all the days of my life, I swear to observe peace, honor, and reverence towards God, the Holy Church, and its ordinances." His says as his voice booms throughout the quiet space. "I swear that I will exercise true justice and equity towards the people committed to my charge and will abrogate bad laws and any unjust customs that have been introduced into my kingdom. I swear to enact good laws, and observe the same without fraud or evil intent."

Once he swears his oath, all his clothes with exception of his shirt, which has been separated over his shoulders, and breeches are removed before he is given sandals embroidered with gold. I watch curiously as the archbishop of Canterbury then pours the holy oil on his head and anointing him as king on his head, breast and arms. Seeing my confused look, Will leans closer to me. "It's to signify knowledge, valor and glory." He whispers. I nod and continue to watch as prayers are said and then the consecrated cloth is placed on his head by the archbishop, mostly covering his red hair which is still peeking out in some areas. Another man – Geoffrey de Lucy, William informs me—hands the archbishop a cap that he was holding which is then placed on top of the cloth.

We watch as Richard is then clothed in the royal robes that consist first of a tunic then dalmatic. From the corner of my eye, I notice something moving up near the ceiling, I look up to see a single bat flying around. I frown and nudge Will, motioning up with my eyes. He, too, looks up and frowns. "That can't be a good sign." He mutters, resting his gaze on the king.

Apparently, we weren't the only ones to notice as I heard a faint but worried buzz from nearby. Thinking back to my studies, I tried to think of the meaning of bats then I remembered. Bats tend to symbolize death or rebirth. Immediately I think of Delvin's threat and I feel as though a cold breeze has swept through. My breathing quickens and I feel the color go from my face. Could this mean I'm to fail and be killed by Delvin?

I glance up at the bat once more, hoping that it's a symbol of rebirth in Delvin's trust and belief in me. I jump slightly as I feel Will's hand touch mine, bringing me from my thoughts. I glance at him but he looks forward at the king but gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I turn my attention back to the king who is now outfitted with spurs on his feet and holding a mighty sword. He's given the royal mantle and let back to the altar before the archbishop.

"In the name of Almighty God," The archbishop says, "you are forbidden to presume to take upon this dignity, unless you have the full intention inviolably to observe the oaths and vows before mentioned which you have made."

"With God's assistance, I will observe them all without reservation." Richard replies as he takes the crown before him off the alter and hands it to the archbishop. The archbishop holds the crown up, with the help of two other earls, and says a few words. As he speaks, another nervous buzz can be heard as the bat is now flying near the crown and circling the new king's head from above. I glance at the archbishop but either he doesn't notice it or he's ignoring it as he continues. The crown is lowered onto Richard's head and then he is handed the gold scepter in his right hand and the rod of royalty in his left.

I watch as if entranced until the king is led to his seat and a mysterious sound of bells could be heard. Many others looked around and asked each other as I turned to will for an explanation. "I'm not sure, Lass." He shrugs. "Perhaps it's an English custom."

After the Mass has ended, and Richard is declared king, we then preceded to the Westminster Hall where the extravagant banquet was to be held in honor of England's newest king. For the banquet, I spotted the king as he now wore a lighter crown and robes as opposed to what he had worn during his crowning.

Will and I sat at one of the many tables with the other noble lords and ladies. The first course was a potage that I had eaten about half of before the second course of stuffed peacock was served. Next was the roasted wild boar and after that were pears in red wine. As the trenchers of pears were served before us, I stared at it. "I can't." I tell William. "If I eat one more bite, I will be sick." I turn to him as he shovels in the very last of his into his mouth. "I see you don't have that problem." I chuckle.

He grins but says nothing. While minstrels and troubadours provide the entertainment for the evening, I look around me for any sign of our target. Without looking I go to grab my wine only to find that man beside me is draining it. I frown but just roll my eyes and return to my search.

After the feast, we casually walked around the large hall as the dancing began. We spoke to other couples and commented on the feast and how thankful we were for the recent harvests. While William made conversation, I again tried to search for the Duke; growing anxious with every passing moment. The man we were speaking to suggested we dance and Will agrees. He excuses us before leading me towards the other dancers. My face grows pale.

"Everything alright, Lass?" He asks, frowning.

I glance around at the others dancing before leaning forward. "I don't know this dance."

It was a common dance at court but being that I've been a commoner since birth, I was unfamiliar with the steps. Even in all my training I had never learned it.

William gave me a warm smile. "Follow my lead, Lass. You need to learn how to adapt to your situation. Watch the other ladies and do as they do."

Terrified of messing up and drawing attention to us, I give a shaky nod and follow him. He leads us over to where the other couples have formed two lines, facing each other. I feel my heart racing in my chest and try to take deep breaths so that I don't faint. I watch the couple ahead of us and curtsy as the woman. Will mirrors the man and bows. "Breathe." William whispers as he takes my hand and holds it up. "You're doing fine."

With my other hand, I had grasp the skirt of my dress and hold it, focusing on matching my steps with Will's. Each line walks until they are next to each other with a space between them. Will turns to me and bows. The heat rise to my cheeks as I feel his gaze on me as I glance over at the other ladies. We repeat the gesture away from each. Two steps to the left, then a small kick. Two steps to the right, then another small kick. As we begin to turn, our eyes meet and I feel my heart flutter as he smiles.

The steps, kicking and turning continues until finally we are standing side by side with the others and looking across at the other line. The dance finally comes to a close and Will tucks my hand beneath his elbow, keeping his hand on mine as he leads me away. "The Duke was watching us." He says in a little louder than a whisper. I feel the heat rise to my cheeks in embarrassment as I was far too busy trying not to mess up the steps to look around me.

I look away and take a moment to glance around before I finally spot the Duke. Avoiding Will's eyes, I motioned towards the man with my chin. His hand reaches up to cup my jaw as he gently turns my head to look at him. His eyes flicker to my lips for a brief moment. My heart quickens as I am so painfully aware of his warm touch on my cheek. He smiles. "Remember not to motion to people in case anybody is watching." He said gently.

I nodded. "Right. Sorry, I forgot." I notice his reluctance as he removes his hand to stand beside me.

"You need to focus, Lass. Nobody seemed to notice this time but in the future you need to be more careful."

We stroll around the hall until we are close enough to see the Duke as he leans against a nearby statue, probably to mask the fact that he can barely stand up straight. Will turns and leans forward slightly. "This is it, Lass. Do you remember what you need to do?"

I nod. I take his arm and we begin to walk past the duke. Will makes the effort to gently bump into him., almost spilling his drink in the process. As he turns to reprimand his assaulter, and makes a comment about how crowded the hall is.

"Yes it is." The Duke mutters as he looks down to examine the damage. "This is quite the spectacle."

"I don't think we have been properly introduced." Will goes on to say. "I'm Sir William and this is my wife, Lady Hastings." He introduces us.

"Not to meet you." The duke says with a small bow. "I'm Sir Hagley, Duke of..." He pauses.

Seeing that the duke is already partially inebriated, as Will predicted, he takes the opportunity to point out another man not far off who is quite handsy with a woman around my age. While William distracts him for a moment, lean forward slightly and take the vile out of my dress and quickly pour the contents into his drink before replacing the small vial in my dress. Once it's concealed, I pretend to feel faint so that William turns his attention back to me. "Are you alright, Lass?" He asks. The duke looks at me as well and I nod. I give a polite smile. "I am. I just feel like I need some air."

"There's a balcony with a beautiful view of the garden." The duke offers, pointing at the wall.

"Let's get you outside in the fresh air." Will offers. He turns to the duke to excuse us but the duke is already downing his wine. Tucking my hand under his elbow and leads me out of the hall. Once out of earshot of the others, returns to me as I let out a deep breath. "Did you do it?" I nod and he smiles at me. "Well done, Lass." He says quietly. "Within the hour, the poison will take effect, he'll be dead and we should prepare to leave."

I nod and look up at the darkened sky. I spend so much time in the Sanctuary that I almost forgot how beautiful the stars are. As I look up at the stars, I can feel Will watching me. I smile at him.

"Quite an event, isn't it?" I ask before mentally scorning myself.

He chuckles. "It is." He agrees. "It's a shame that more people don't get to experience it all." He pauses as his hand lightly brushes mine as it hangs by my side. "With all the horrible things you've had to endure, I'm glad you at least get to experience some of the happier things in life _."_ I wait as he pauses for a moment, looking off into the distance. "You deserve to be happy and I'm glad I'm here to witness that happiness."

He smiles at me and I blush before looking away as I try to conceal the grin that's starting to form. He patiently waits as I try to come up with something charming or witty to say but my words fail me. I want more than anything to just tell him that just being with him makes me happy. "I am too." I finally manage to say, casting a shy smile at him. He returns my smile and we look up at the stars together. Our brief moment together is soon over as we hear a disruption from inside. W exchange glances before we head back inside.

We made our way through the small crowd that had started to form around the duke. William asked around about what happened as we see the nobleman swaying and squinting at the people watching him.

"He's drunk and has been yelling obscenities." A nobleman scowls.

"No I'm not!" The duke spits. "I've only have two cups of wine!"

When he finally collapsed, one of the men kneels down to examine him. My heart begins to pound as a nervous buzz starts as people whisper to each other about possible causes. The man looks up and declares the duke dead and a woman screams. While deep down I felt relieved, I played my part by turning away and burying my face in Will's chest. His strong and steady arms hold me close as he whispered for me to slowly start making our way towards the entrance. Reluctant to pull away from his embrace, I give a slight nod and feel his hand go to the small of my back as he leads me away talking about how unsafe it was, loudly to the other panicked people. Others took our lead as they worried about their safety if a man could easily be killed by drinking the wine. As we got outside, Will guides me out to where the Earl's carriage is waiting. Offering his hand, he helps me inside and shuts the door. "What are you—" I start to say as he turns his attention to Edric.

"Take Lady Hastings back to back to the Manor." He instructs before turning his attention back to me.

"What?" I frown, shaking my head. "No! Why aren't you coming with me?"

Will just smiles as he grabs my hand. "I'm going to head back and let he Earl know that the task has been done and to curb any suspicions of foul play." He says quietly before straightening. He raises my hand to his lips and kisses the back. "Go home so you can eat and rest my Lady." He smiles. "I will join you later."

He releases my hand and motions for Edric to go. As the carriage pulls away, I lean out the little window at him and he waves.

* * *

At the manor, I lie to Edric and tell him I'm not feeling well and to ask him for my food to my room. He seems concerned that something went amiss at the feast but I assure him that I just need to rest for a while.

Hours pass with still no sign of William. I barely touched my dinner since my stomach felt so tied up in knots that I felt that even the smallest amount of food would be regurgitated. Edith had found me sitting before the fireplace, staring at the flames. She helped me change out of the Countess' beautiful gown into a chemise and my robe. I asked her to leave my food as she left in case my appetite returned. Once she left, I had begun pacing back and forth worrying what could have possibly happened. I felt lightheaded as though I would faint but feared that if I sat down, I would pass out.

After a while, my pacing began to slow. Feeling clos to tears, I start toward the bed when finally, the door starts to slowly open. My heart begins to pound as I quickly grab my small dagger from nearby and, concealing it in my sleeve. With baited breath, I wait and watch the door.

When I see Will's head peek in I drop my dagger, which makes a sound as it falls to the ground. "Will!" I gasp. His gaze falls on me and he quickly slips in and closes the door behind him. "Lass, what are you—"

He begins to say but within seconds I close the distance between us and embrace him. My hand on his cheek, our lips meet. As I remember how the last time we kissed, he said it was inappropriate, I break away. My hand falls from his face as a blush rises to my cheeks and I begin to apologize but I am surprised when he pulls me closer and presses his lips against mine once more. With each moment, our kiss becomes more and more urgent until we break to catch our breath. With his arm still around me, he gently picks me up and carries me over to the large bed and lays me down. Without looking away, he rests on his elbow and leans over me.

A tear trickles down my cheek and he wipes it away with his thumb as he brings his hand up to gently caressing my cheek. "I didn't mean to make you cry, Lass." He says.

Smiling, I shake my head. "They're happy tears. I'm glad you're okay. When you didn't return right away..." I trail off. "I was worried something had happened."

"You're always worried." He says with a smile.

"Can you blame me? You were gone for such a long time."

"I know." He frowns. "I'm sorry, Lass. I didn't mean to worry you."

"What happened? Why were you gone for so long?"

He leaves my side and sits on the edge of the bed as he begins to remove his boots. "I talked to the Earl of Hertford and told him that the task that he asked us to perform was completed."

My eyes widen. "The Earl was the jealous lover?"

He places a finger to his lips to tell be to be quiet, in case any of the staff were awake and listening, and shakes his head. "No. I'm unaware of the details but I was to report back to him so that he can confirm that you completed your contract as instructed." He shifts so that he is leaning over me once more.

His lips find mine once more and once more our kiss becomes more urgent and passionate with each passing moment. His hand goes from my cheek to my side. A chill runs up my spine and my heart begins to race as I feel the warmth of his hand through my thin gown. I run my fingers through the back of his hair. Every slight caress becoming agonizing as I wait for him to take it further. I feel his hand as his fingers touches the ribbons that hold my robe shut. I wait for him to act until he suddenly pulls away from my embrace and looks at me. He closes his eyes and turns away and rubs his face with a groan.

I silently watch him with his back towards me as I'm filled with longing and confusion. "What's wrong?" I ask as I prop myself up on my elbows. He stands up and walks over to the window and glances outside. "Will?"

He turns and I watch his eyes scan my form. I wait for him to reply but instead he strides back over to the bed and kneels beside me. "Eva," he starts as he looks at me. "I really care about you and would never want to dishonor you in any way."

My brows knit together but I remain silent. He continues.

"Many years ago, I vowed to protect the weak and respect the honor of women." He says. "As much as I want and desire you, I must not break that vow."

"Okay…" Frowning, I sit up. I pull my robe closer to me as I become aware of how thin my gown is and feel a heat rise to my cheeks.

Seeing my expression, he leans towards me and gently places his hand on my cheek so we are looking into each other's eyes. "Is this really what you want? For us to be together?"

I nod. "Of course I do. You mean the world to me. I…" I pause as the heat rises to my cheeks. "I love you." As I said it, I was worried that he would dismiss it as a naïve infatuation like Delvin would.

Seeing me blush, he smiles. "I love you too, Lass." He says softly. He removes his hand from my cheek. "When I was in France at court, there was a troubadour by the name of Bernart de Ventadorn. He had a poem he was writing and he showed it to me. I can't remember it all but it was something like: "I cannot check my love. She has my heart and all of me, when thus she takes me, except desire and heartfelt longing"." He takes my hand. "For years now, I'll admit, I've had these feelings for you but, being your mentor, I thought it wouldn't have been appropriate and set them aside." He looks down at my hand as his thumb gently runs across the back. He raises it to his lips and kisses it. "But I swear to you, Eva. As long as you will have me, my heart is yours." His gaze locks on mine. "I don't want this to be a fleeting affair. If we are to be together, I would like to court you first before anything else happens." He grins. "And hopefully in time, you'll be Lady Hastings for real."

My heart flutters at this thought and I smile. "I would love nothing more."

Kissing my hand once more, he leaves the room to change for bed and I get up from the bed to remove my robe. I feel as though I am as light as air as I place my robe nearby. Now the only thing now is to figure out how to keep our new love a secret from the others.

* * *

*** **_I would like to let it be known that a fair portion of what is said at Richard's Coronation was quoted from the first source below with some minor alterations. I take no credit for any of source material used in the story for I did not come up with what was said myself because, while the story is fiction, I wanted to get the historical details correct._**

* * *

 **Sources:**

 _The Annals, comprising The History of England and of Other Countries of Europe from AD 732 to AD 1201_ , trans. Henry T. Riley, 2 Vols. (London: H.G. Bohn, 1853; rep. New York AMS, 1968), Vol 2, pp. 117-19

 _Richard I_. Westminster Abbey. Web.


	3. Missing Pieces

We arrived at the Sanctuary near the end of the summer. While the seasons changed we stayed hidden within the hideout, leaving only to retrieve supplies from the nearby village, hunt or make anonymous drop offs to families nearby. During our time spent inside, Djaq worked closely with Edric to learn of his experiments and exchange knowledge with one another. Allan took a liking to Dyota and became her constant companion. Isaac won Much over once more when he showed him the various spices he had acquired during our travels and even told him of the lavish foods he had in castles and manors. While Isaac did enjoy sharing his vast knowledge of delicacies and cooking techniques from all over England, he did it at my request to keep Much from wandering around in the endless tunnels branching away from the hidden cave entrance we used when we arrived. At one point he ventured off and had been lost for a day because he forgot his way back. When Allan found him a day later, he told Robin about the tunnels and, out of curiosity, Robin decided to explore them to see where they led. While many led to dead ends, he found one that opened up to a small hidden grotto. One day—once my shoulder had started to heal— he found me in the study staring down at a map and offered for me to take a break and come with him.

I cautiously followed him through the dark winding tunnels with only his hand in mine to guide me. As we drew nearer, he told me to close my eyes. I was resistant but eventually gave in. I shut my eyes and felt his hand on my lower back as he guided me. Once we stopped, he told me to open my eyes.

He stood behind me with his arms around my waist and his head gently resting on my shoulder as I looked around in awe. It was mid-day and the warm spring sunlight streamed through the small hole in the ceiling, lighting up the blue-gray water below. The stone floor was fairly even and slanted down towards the water so that one could casually sit with only their feet in the water. "It's not a waterfall but I figured it was just as good." He whispers. "What do you think?"

In that moment, my words failed me as I looked around at the beauty before me. In all my ten years at the Sanctuary, I never knew that such a place even existed. "It's perfect." I breathed.

* * *

 **April 1196**

The small fire nearby flickered as a gust of wind blew through the small opening atop the grotto, making the light dance across Robin's bare chest. I lie on my stomach beside him with my head resting on my arms while he rubs my back tenderly. I quietly watch him as he glances down at my exposed shoulder. His hand pauses on my back as he lightly traces the scar left from the arrow wound. He glances at me. "Your shoulder has healed quite nicely. I'm glad it's getting better." He presses a small kiss over the scar.

"As am I." I say, letting out a sigh of content. I smile at him. "Another one for the collection."

He looks over at my back and pulls the blanket down slightly to expose my whole back. "Most of those are from training." I say, watching as he stares curiously at them. The corners of my mouth turn up in a grin. "I wasn't the quickest learner."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe." He says with a light-hearted chuckle. He shifts so that our faces are only an inch apart as his hand resumes caressing my back. "You never told me how long you've been an assassin."

I smile. "I joined the Hunters when I was 15."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "That's a bit young to be killing people, isn't it?"

"I wasn't killing people." I chuckle. "While I joined their ranks at 15, I didn't officially become an assassin until four years later. In those four years I went through rigorous training with William."

"What was it like?" He asks, studying my face. "I imagine you would have been scared to kill a man for the first time."

"It was strange." I admit. "My first contact was a woman. She was a thief who cheated some noblemen out of most of their fortune. Many of the nobles had contacted us to get rid of her. They had no idea that the others did the same. Once the deed was done, we were paid handsomely by every single one.

"And how did you do it?" He asks.

"I poisoned her ale at an alehouse she frequented. I was posing as a barmaid and slipped the poison into one of her drinks. Unfortunately, I put too much in and she died right in front of me within moments that the cup touched her lips so I didn't have time to escape right away. Luckily my shock was genuine that nobody suspected me." I give a light-hearten chuckle. "At least not right away. Later on when most of the other customers sobered up, they finally put two and two together but I was already gone."

His hand pauses near my lower back. "Was William with you at the time?"

"Of course. He went with me and waited off to the side. He slipped me the poison and watched to make sure I completed the contract the way the patron wanted it." I smile to myself. "He was with me for most of my contracts. We were inseparable."

"I imagine it didn't take long for him to become your suitor." Robin says grinning.

"Actually he didn't try to be with me right away." I frown as the memories of William start to rush back. "While we were close with one another, we didn't start courting until a little after my second contract." My gaze sweeps over the tattoo of a cross on his left shoulder. "Seems so long ago now." I shift so that I'm lying on my side so I can look into his eyes. "How old were you when you started courting Marian?"

He rests his hand on my side as he thinks for a moment. "I was 25 when I first asked Marian to marry me. Our engagement, however, was cut short when I went to serve the King in the Holy Land." He moves a piece of hair that had fallen in front of my face. "Do you still love him? William?"

I watch his expression in attempt to read his mood. "Would it bother you if I said I did?"

His hand caresses my cheek as he shakes his head. "No." He gives a small grin. "How could it bother me if I'm the same way?" He frowns. "I still love Marian with all my heart and I always will just like how you will always love William. Even now I miss her every day." He leans his head forward to rest his forehead against mine and reaches up to caress my cheek. "In the past few years, I have lost so many people I loved and cared about. I lost my king, my wife, dear friends I've known for years….I can't imagine what I would do if I ever lost you too." He pulls away from me enough to look me in the eye."I swear to you here and now that I will protect you with my life."

"I know you will." I smile. "And you already know I would protect you with my life as well. I mean, I do have the scar to prove it."

Chuckling, he pulls me close and our lips meet while his hand slips beneath the blanket to my lower back. When we finally pull apart, I bring my hand up to his cheek.

In the 8 months we've been in hiding, the light stubble he had in the forest has started to grow in thicker and become more noticeable. At one point I teased him about how soon he'd be unrecognizable. In response he just grinned and said that maybe that was a good thing.

Reluctantly, I pull away from his embrace and, clutching the blanket to my chest, I sit up. He remains lying down as I feel his gaze on my back. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head in attempt to shake away the worried thoughts that began to creep in. "I'm just…. anxious. That's all."  
He sits up and wraps an arm around me. "It's about Isaac, isn't it?"

Sighing, I give a slight nod. "I just worry about him."

"I know. We all do. Hey—" Cupping my jaw in his palm, he turns my head to look at him. "He's a grown man and you've trained him well. He's more than capable of holding his own out there."

I sigh. "I know. It's just that he used to write to me every few days and it's been a month since his last letter." I close my eyes as I try to push the horrible thoughts of what might have happened from my mind. I draw my knees towards my chest and bury my face in my arms. "I should have had John knock him out when I had the chance. Maybe lock him up in the dungeon. At least then I'd know he's safe and alive." I mutter.

Robin laughs. "I doubt that would have stopped him. You both have a strange way of getting yourselves into trouble and then weaseling your way back out again."

We had only been back to the Sanctuary for a couple months when Isaac received a letter from Sabine informing him that her father's illness had taken a turn for the worse. Hearing this news, Isaac decided that he would leave for Worksop immediately to help Sabine care for her father. When he told me, I wasn't sure how to react. While I respected the fact that he wanted to be there for his beloved and her father, part of me didn't want to let him go. For three long years, he has been fighting at my side. In his absence, I am more aware of how much he does for me and I feel vulnerable.

I'm in awe at Robin's emotional stability as he gave Djaq, with her extensive knowledge in medicine, and Will his blessing to go with Isaac to Worksop to help Theo. He did it with such confidence that I wondered if he had forgotten the threats that still lingered beyond the stone walls of the Sanctuary. During our time in hiding, we waited for any word regarding King John, the Black Knights or any of his lackeys but so far we had heard nothing new. It felt like the quiet before a massive storm that I knew had to be brewing. We knew that it wasn't safe and weren't going to risk going back to the forest.

Turning away from him, I grab my clothes from the pile nearby and begin to redress.

"Leaving already?" Robin asks.

I glance over at him. He's stretched out once more with his arms folded behind his head and the blanket draped over his lower half. He smirks at me as I nod. "I'm going to go attempt to get some rest since I promised Allan I would accompany him tomorrow to hunt."

"You're not going to rest." He chuckles. "I know you better than that." He props himself up on his elbows. "You're going to go write him another letter."

I remain silent as I pull on my tunic and he continues. "Eva, Isaac is fine. I'm sure he's just been busy with Theo and just hasn't had the chance to write."

"You don't know that." I mutter. I lean back as I pull on my breeches.

"Would you like me to ride to Worksop personally to make sure he's okay?"

I lean forward and kneel as I pick up my belt. I consider his offer for a moment before shaking my head. "As much as that would ease my mind, I don't want to take that risk." I quickly tie my belt and look at him. "Besides, if anybody was going to risk themselves by riding to Worksop it'd be me." I lean over to him and give him a peck on the lips. "Goodnight."

I stand up and take one of the small torches off to the side and light it in the small fire and disappear into the tunnel. With every step I took, new scenarios for what happened to Isaac played through my mind making my stomach knot up. I quietly make it through the Sanctuary to the hallway leading to the personal quarters. Making it back to my room, I quietly shut my door and light the torch on the wall near the table in the corner. I douse my torch in the little basin of water on the small table next to my bed and set it off to the side. With one large sweep, I clear off the table and search my room for some parchment, a quill and pot of ink. Once I have it, I sit down at my table and write.

In my letter, I inquire about how Theo is doing and how he's doing as well. While I miss him like crazy, I try not to state that I do. Just imagining his smug expression makes me scowl. I heat up some wax and search my satchel that now lies on the floor for the signet ring we use on our wax seals. While rummaging through the bag, I spot a letter resting against the wall under the table. My eyes narrow and I stoop down to pick it up. I hold it up to the light to look at the unbroken seal and feel my chest tighten. It has the raven insignia of the Shadow Hunters. My breath catches as I carefully run my fingers over it. I remember receiving a letter written to me on the day William was killed. Numb with grief, I set it aside and had yet to read it. Yet, here it is in my hand, three years later. I sit back on my chair and stare at it. What could it possibly say? Will's last willing testament was already read as I was left most of his belongings. I stare at it for a long time, debating whether or not I should actually read it.

Taking a deep breath, I carefully lift the seal, taking care to leave it intact, and stare down at the familiar scrawl.

 _My Dearest Eva,_

 _I don't know why I am writing this. I really hope that this letter never gets to you because if it does it'll mean I'm dead. It would also mean I never had time to show you just how much I really did love you or to tell you about my past. You've asked me so many times and I always said that I'd tell you later. Since later is now no longer an option, I guess now is as good as time as any._

He writes about his birth place and his ancestral home in Gallows and about his younger brother, Alastair. His father was a duke and for most of his life he did as many sons of noblemen did and trained to become a knight. He mentions how, when he left Scotland for England, he left a chest of his belongings that he was unable to take with him.

I look up from the letter for a moment as I think back to his chivalrous nature and what he said at the Earl's manor after my second contract about he took a vow to protect the weak and respect women. It all made sense and yet in the time we spent together, I never thought to make the connection. I glance back down and continue to read.

 _Since the very first day we met, I always knew that you were special and deserved so much more than what the Hunters could ever provide. From the moment we became husband and wife, I wanted to steal you away to Scotland and show you the man I was before slipping into the Shadows. I hoped we had more time together and that once we left the Hunters behind, we would start over and begin a family of our own. You'd make a wonderful mother._

 _You are the person I know I could turn to when I needed help - the person I looked at when I needed to smile and you are the person I went to when I needed a hug. When I am away, it is like I have left my soul at your side._

My bottom lip quivers and tears begin to fall but I continue reading.

 _You have shown me how to live and you have shown me how to be truly happy. I want you to know that every time I smiled, it was because of you. You made me smile when others couldn't._

 _Not that Edric didn't try, of course._

At this I smile. For as long as I knew them, they were always joking with each other and trying to one up one another. What always made it funnier was Delvin's disproval of it.

 _You have shown me so much love and so much more. I want you to know how much you mean to me. You are my whole world and I love you with all my heart. You are my happiness._

 _Every night I spent away from you, my heart ached to be back at the Sanctuary holding you close as you slept. Just like I did then, I will always watch over you as you sleep and keep you safe in your dreams. I will always be watching over you to make sure you're safe no matter where I am._

 _So whenever you feel lonely, just close your eyes and I'll be there, right by your side._

 _I always have and always will love you, Lass._

 _Your husband,_

 _Will_

I reread the letter over and over as I try to find where he explained why he suddenly left his homeland yet found that he didn't. I shake my head in disbelief.

"That makes no sense…" I mutter. "He was a knight from a noble family. Why would he suddenly just give that up?"

Wiping my tears with my sleeve, I stand up and carefully fold Will's letter and place it in my satchel. I need answers and there was only one place I could find them.

* * *

I ride through the night to Worksop and arrive early the next morning as the sun begins to peek over the horizon. When I arrive at the stables, I wake up the stable boy sleeping on in the hay a few stalls down. I impatiently order him to care for the horse and toss a shilling to him before quickly walking making my way to Theo's shop. As I approach the shop, I notice that Theo's apprentice is nowhere to be seen. I give a sharp knock on the door and wait anxiously, pulling my cloak closer around me while glancing around me to ensure I wasn't being watched. Every passing moment that I wait, I feel my stomach knot up. I knock again and wait until finally, a robed and tired looking Sabine opens the door. Seeing me, she gives me a puzzled look. "Eva? Is everything alright?"

"Where's Isaac?" I ask. "I need to speak with him."

"He's in one of the rooms, sleeping." She says motioning me inside. I quickly climb the stairs to the upper floor while she shuts the door. At the top of the stairs, I wait and hear her yawn as she slowly climbs the stairs behind me, muttering something about food and drink to herself.

"There's no need to prepare food anything for me." I say as she busies herself with making a fire in in the fireplace. "I won't be here very long."

When she rises once more, she turns to face me. "Are you sure you wouldn't like some ale or even some bread? We haven't got much—"

I shake my head. "That's all right."

She gives a hesitant nod then excuses herself to fetch Isaac while I wait. As soon as she leaves, I let out a deep breath and place my hand on the stones above the fireplace and look down into the small flames. Moments later she returns with Isaac. Overcome with relief to see he's okay, I smile and pull him into an embrace. He wraps his arms around me and Sabine excuses herself to get dressed. "I'm so happy you're all right." I mutter. "I was beginning to worry something had happened since I hadn't gotten a letter in a month." When we pull apart I look him over. His blonde hair is sticking up from his interrupted sleep and, like Robin, his light stubble has grown in thicker. He looks older and more worn out since I last seen him but when he smiles, he still looks as boyish as when I first met him.

"I'm happy to see you doing well yourself. I've missed you." He looks around behind me and frowns. "It's just you?"

"Don't sound too disappointed." I jest and he cracks a smile.

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm just surprised that Robin or any of the others aren't with you."

"No." I shake my head. "Nobody knows I'm here."

His brows knit together. "Is everything alright? Are the others—"

"The others are fine." I say dismissively, waving his words away. "I came here on a more personal matter." He raises an eyebrow and I look off in the direction Sabine left before lowering my voice to a whisper. "Is there some place we can speak in private?"

He nods. "I need to wake Daniel to get the forge ready. Meet me at the inn, I'll be there soon. There we can speak privately and catch up."

I nod and tell him I'll see him soon before leaving without another word.

* * *

As instructed, I wait at the inn and order us both an ale. When he arrives, I notice he has Theo's apprentice with him. Isaac scans the room and as he spots me at a table near the back, he says something to the boy and walks over to my table, seating himself across from me.

"What's with the boy?" I ask him as he take one of the tankards before him.

"Theo was having a hard time breathing so I brought Daniel to inform Djaq." He replies as he lifts the ale to his lips. He takes a long draught before placing it back on the table. "Sabine didn't have enough room to house all three of us and Will suggested he and Djaq get a room here at the inn. That way, God forbid, they were recognized and captured, nothing would happen to Theo or his daughter." He explains as I raise an eyebrow.

"What about you? You're associated with me which makes you a bigger target than them"

"I know and I took that into consideration, but I wanted to be there with her to protect them. I can't do that if I'm here at the inn. What if they find out about her and attack at night? By the time I'd find out, too much can happen." He shakes his head. "No. I need to be there with her. Besides," He smiles at me. "Djaq and Will could use more alone time. They're been separated for a while and deserve to have some time together. Djaq checks on Theo at least 3 times a day as it is." He watches me as I nod absently as I grab my tankard. "So what brings you to Worksop at a time like this?"

Without saying a word, I take the Will's letter out of my satchel and hand it to him. He gives me a questioning look as he takes it before glancing down at the wax seal. "That's the Hunter's seal." He says quietly, glancing up at me. "New contract?"

I shake my head. "Read it." He carefully lifts the seal. "It's dated the night before we left for York."

I watch his eyes as they read every word before carefully setting the letter on the table. "So… Will knew something was going to happen. He knew about the ambush."

I shrug. "I doubt he knew about the ambush. He probably just knew that Delvin was planning something but not the specifics."

He glances down at the letter and raises his eyebrows. "I never expected him to be a knight."

"Neither did I." I raise my drink to my lips and take a sip before setting it down once more. "He also mentions something about a chest locked up in his family home."

Isaac's eyes narrow as he looks at me. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to Scotland."

His eyes widen. "What?" he hisses but quickly lowers his voice as the Inn keeper glares at us. "What do you mean you're going to Scotland?"

I grab the letter from the table and return it to my bag. "It doesn't make sense. His father was a duke. He was of noble birth and a knight." I point out. "Why would he give that all up to be an assassin? Something must have happened."

"Like what?"

I shake my head. "I don't know. Something must have yet the letter doesn't state why. I have all these pieces of his past but I need to find a way to see the whole picture. I need to go to his family home and find the chest he mentioned. He left it behind because he had to flee immediately. Maybe it'll hold some of the answers I'm looking for."

"What if the chest is empty or not there? Then what?"

"Then I stay and search for answers." I frown. "I need this."

Running a hand over his hair, he sighs. "What about King John and the Black Knights? If you don't recall, you're being hunted."

"We're assassins. We're always being hunted." I reply. "I can't sit around the Sanctuary knowing what I know. I need to do this."

He looks down at his drink. "What about Robin and the others?" He glances at me. "Who will go with you?"

I look away at my drink but remain silent.

"Eva!" He says touching my wrist. I look up at him.

"Nobody. William was _my_ husband and this is the only way I can find out more about him. Robin needs to stay here in England. Besides you and I, he has the biggest target on his back. Not to mention that the people he helps need him here. What would happen to them if he leaves?" I shake my head. "I'm going alone. I was thinking about leaving within the next week."

"I'm going with you then."

I shoot him a glare. "No you're not. You need to stay here and help Theo."

"Theo has Sabine, Djaq and Will. They can do without me for a little while. I'm not going to let you go off alone." He leans forward slightly and lowers his voice. "For years I have been the one to watch your back during and between contracts. If you won't allow Robin to go with you then I will. You need somebody to be your second eyes and ears."

"You do remember I trained you, right?" I ask. "Meaning I am more than capable of handling my own."

"Kind of like in Nottingham?"

I sneer. "I surrendered myself. I knew the consequences of failing to kill Robin yet did it anyways. It was intentional."

"What about in Bradford?"

I purse my lips. Seeing my expression his serious demeanor softens as he grasps my hand. "While I know you are fully capable of fighting on your own, you have a tendency react quickly without thinking sometimes. You taught me patience is key. _Never run into any situation blind._ Remember?"

I say nothing as I glance around. The main dining hall is mostly empty save for a drunkard passed out at a table across from us. Surprisingly his drink hasn't spilled. "Fine." I whisper. "You can come with me, but only you. We'll leave tonight."

Pulling his hand away, he shakes his head. "Not until you tell Robin and Dyota. They deserve to know of what you are doing and where you're going so that, God forbid, things go badly and something happens, they'll know what's happening."

I groan and raise my tankard to my lips. "You're such a pain in my ass." I mutter making him chuckle. "Why did I spare you again?"

"Because I am incredibly charming." He says and I down my ale. Once it's gone, I drop the tankard in the table and look at him. "Fine, I'll write them—"

"No. Ride back to the Sanctuary and tell them in person. I need time to prepare for my absence here while you'll need to say goodbye and make preparations for the journey."

"Anything else, your highness?" I retort.

He gives me a smug grin. "Not at the moment."


	4. Bad Terms

The journey back to the Sanctuary was tedious. While I felt anxious to leave, I couldn't help but think of Robin's reaction when I told him. No doubt he would offer to accompany me or try to talk me out of it for fear of my safety.

I know he cares about me and, after everything he went through with Marian and what happened back in Nottingham, I know he just wants to keep me safe but neither of us will ever be truly safe unless King Richard magically rose from the dead and gave us a royal pardon. Unless that happened, we'll always be hunted by the corrupt law enforcement.

I look out at the road ahead of me and sigh as I see a plume of smoke rising from a chimney within Southwell. Leaving my horse at the stables, I slowly walk back towards the forest while I try to think of how to break the news.

I walk the small path to the cave and look around before disappearing inside. Reaching the entrance to the study, I peek around the banner to find Dyota playing a game with Allan.

"Are you sure you want to play? It takes a quick eye to win." Allan teases.

Dyota smiles. "Try me."

I watch him as he holds up a small ball. "Keep your eyes on the ball." He places it on the table and covers it with a one of the little cups then places another cup on either side. He smiles up at her. "Ready?"

She nods and watches as his hands move the cups around quickly. She calmly watches until he stops and removes his hands. "Now, what cup do you think has the ball?" He asks her. His eyes watch her as she leans forward and calmly looks at the cups. She eyes each one of them carefully as I see the faint hint of a smile forming. "Well?" He urges. "Any ideas?"

Her eyes flick up to his face. "The ball isn't under any of the cups."

He gives her an amused grin. "Are you sure?"

She nods and he shakes his head. "I thought assassins were more perceptive than that."

He reaches for the cup on his right and I smirk as I watch as he lifts it up to find it empty. A puzzled look flashes across his face. "It should have been here..." He mutters as he quickly lifts the other cups and glances around at the floor. "I don't understand…"

"For a thief, I thought you would have been more perceptive." She chuckles as she holds up the small ball.

He looks at the ball then at her, bewildered. "How?"

She shrugs. "Same way I took this." She pulls out a dagger and holds it up before sticking it the table.

He feels around his belt before grinning. "You're good."

"Just one of the many skill sets a Hunter must know." She smiles. "Isn't that right, Eva?" She turns around to face me as I step out from my hiding spot.

"Hope I'm not interrupting." I say, stifling a grin as I glance at Allan. I place my pack down near the bookshelf.

"Not at all." She smiles. "I'm glad you're back. We have some things to discuss."

I raise an eyebrow but she turns away from me to look at Allan. "Would you please excuse us? I would like to speak with Eva in private." Allan glances at me and I see her smile. "Hunter business."

As he quickly restores his dagger to his belt, he picks up the cups and takes the ball from Dyota's hand as she holds it out to him. In his quick exit, I notice a redness in his cheeks.

She waits until Allan is gone before turning her attention back to me.

"He fancies you." I observe.

"I'm sure he does..." She agrees. "We've grown very fond of each other over the past few months."

"But?" I urge, sensing her resistance. "Do you fancy him as well?"

Her smile falters slightly. "He's been very sweet but as the leader of the Hunters and him being a member of Robin's gang…" She breaks off.

"I'm sure Robin wouldn't mind." I chuckle.

"No he wouldn't…" She agrees. "but once Robin and his gang are free to leave, I imagine he would be leaving as well."

I frown. "Are you afraid he'll lose interest once they leave?" She blushes but says nothing. I touch her shoulder comfortingly. "That won't happen." I say softly. "If it did, I'd hunt him down myself."  
I give her a smile and she chuckles.

She shakes her head as if to dispel the negative thoughts and smiles once more. "How's Isaac?"

I'm taken back for a moment at her quick change of topic. "He's doing well. He's happy to be helping out rather than being stuck here in the Sanctuary."

While her smile remains intact, I see the faint glint of sympathy in her eyes. "I'm glad to hear things are going well for him in Worksop." She turns away from me. "Had I known you were going to see him, I would have sent some ingredients with you for Djaq."

"Yeah…sorry about that. I didn't expect to leave so suddenly."

She glances at me. "Is everything alright?"

I nod. "Yeah. Everything is fine." I lie. "I hadn't received word from Isaac in weeks and decided to check up on him."

There's a brief silence between us and I feel her eyes watching me. I know she's not buying it. "Eva, do you remember how after your initiation you told me how happy you were to finally have a family?"

I feel my stomach knot up. "I do."

She smiles. "I knew from the very beginning that you were one of us. Time and time again, you have proved your loyalty and commitment to your Shadow siblings and the Hunters." She steps forward and places a hand on my shoulder. "In all these years, you've come to me when you most needed somebody to listen to your plights and be there for you when you needed support." She smiles at me as a big sister would to her younger sister. "I know something is obviously bothering you." Her blue eyes search mine and I feel the tears threaten to form. "You know you can tell me anything."

As I struggle to keep the tears from spilling down my cheeks, I feel the urge to tell somebody, anything about what I'm going through. "I found William's letter." I say suddenly. Noticing her confusion, I continue. "After Will's funeral, Edric gave me a letter that was written to me from Will in the chance that he died…." I break away from her and begin to pace. "At the time I was so heartbroken and angry that I cast it aside. Then I went to Bradford…" I break off. "I had forgotten about it completely until I found it when I was looking for our seal for a letter I wrote to Isaac." I pause for a moment. "At first I was unsure if I should open it. I didn't know what it would say or if it would make all that hurt resurface." My eyes begin to brim with tears so I close them. Dyota pulls me into an embrace. "Even after all these years, I miss him." I whisper.

"So do I." She says softly. " He was a good man." We stand there for a moment, holding one another before parting. Sniffing, I wipe tears from my eyes and so does Dyota.

"What did it say?" She finally asks. "The letter?"

"He said that he loved me and how he knew I deserved more than to be hunted as an assassin all my life." I look down at my hands. Again, I thought about the question that has been floating around my mind since reading the letter. "What would make a knight and a son of a Duke, throw away his inheritance and flee his homeland?"

I look up at her puzzled expression. "I'm not sure." She shrugs. "Unlawful acts, dishonorable actions…"

The more she listed, the queasier I became. Could William have done something so horrible?

"What makes you ask?" She asks me, raising an eyebrow.

"In Will's letter, he revealed that he was the son of a Duke and how, before joining the Shadow, he was a knight."

"That would make sense." She mutters. "Did it say that he fled?"

I shake my head. "No but why else would a knight and nobleman's son suddenly leave his homeland? He was his father's oldest son and heir. Something must have made him leave."

Dyota sighs and crosses her arm. "With Will gone, it's hard to say. The only two people that would know would have been Will or Delvin."

My blood boils as I hear Delvin's name but it push it from my mind ."Will might not be able to help us and Delvin is a lost cause but there is another way." She glances at me and I continue. "In his letter, he also mentioned that he left all his stuff and a journal in a chest at his old family home. I bet it's all still there!"

She frowns. "What are you planning to do?"

As we exchange glances, I know that she knows exactly what I'm about to say. "I'm going to Scotland to his family home to find his journal and figure out why he left." I frown. "I already spoke to Isaac about it and he's on board."

"He's going with you?"

I nod."He is. I didn't want him to but…"

"He's stubborn." She smirks. "Sounds like somebody else I know."

"Yes he is." I chuckle before becoming serious once more. "But I have to do this. It may be the only chance I get to find out more about Will's past. You know how much I want to know."

She lets out a surrendering sigh before pulling me into a hug. "Just promise me you're stay safe out there."

"I will." I mutter into her hair. "I promise."

"So when are you leaving?" She asks as we pull away.

"Hopefully by the end of the week." I frown. "I wanted to leave today but since Isaac is now joining me, my departure is being postponed so Isaac can arrange for his absence. He's supposed to send a letter to tell me when he's ready."

She nods. "Have you told Robin yet?"

"Told me what?"

At the sound of Robin's voice, we both turn to see him leaning against the doorway. My heart pounds at the sight of him as I think about telling him. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes." He smiles. "What do you need to tell me."

"My announcement." I say quickly. "I'll tell everybody at supper."

"Well lucky for you, that's what I came to tell you. Much has finished cooking what was left of the venison from last night and I offered to come tell Dyota that the food was ready."

"Thank you Robin." Dyota says with a smile.

"Yes, thank you." I say. "We'll be right the there."

He hesitates for a moment before disappearing. I turn to face Dyota once more. As we begin to walk to the dining area together, I decide to ask another question that has been burning in the back of my mind.

"Have you heard any news from Lucia?"

"Not for months now." She frowns. "I imagine Delvin has been keeping a close eye on her. You know how cautious he is."

I nod as I think back to my attempt to kill him in Bradford. Somehow he knew I was coming and was waiting for me.

"Hopefully whenever I get back, we'll have some sort of lead."

She nods in agreement. "Hopefully."

As we approach the stairs that lead down to the open dining area, Robin steps out from the wall. I stop and tell Dyota I'll be right down before turning my attention to Robin.

"I'm guessing you went to see Isaac." He says with a grin.

I nod. "I did. I was worried about him."

He takes my hand and brushes his thumb across the back of my hand. "I know you were. How is he doing?"

"He's doing well. He's been busy."

"I told you that's why he hasn't written." He chuckles.

I look down towards the table where Much is distributing the stew into bowls while the others make conversation. I smile to myself as I watch Allan taking to Dyota and her giggling at something he said.

"Did you see or speak to Djaq or Will?"

I shake my head. "They were asleep when I arrived. Isaac wasn't even awake yet."

As he's about to ask me more questions, I'm relieved to see Dyota motioning us down to the table.

"Looks like we're being beckoned." I say as I motion to Dyota. As we descend the stairs, everybody is engaged in conversation so I thank Much as I take my bowl and sit quietly at the table. Mid-meal, I am forced to face the moment I've been dreading since Isaac mentioned it.

"Eva has an announcement." Dyota says as she stands at the end of the table. All eyes shift to me and I take a deep breath.

"Go ahead." Dyota encourages me with a smile. I stand up at my seat and look around at everybody until my eyes focus on Robin whom is sitting across from me. Better to do this quick and get it over with.

"I'm leaving."

Any side conversations that were going on stops as everybody looks at me, speechless.

"What do you mean?" Allan finally asks. "Where are you going?"

I feel Robin's gaze burning through me and I look to Dyota for help.

"Eva is preparing for a journey to Scotland for a personal mission." She inputs.

"Now?' Much asks. "Aren't we still being hunted?"

"We are." Robin says, tersely. "I imagine King John has his men and black knights all over the forest and along most of the roads."

"I'm still curious as to how you made it to Worksop and back in one piece." Allan chuckles. He looks around and sees John glaring at him. "What?"

"I'll be leaving within the week." I say quickly.

* * *

The rest of the meal was silent minus occasional side chatter. Feeling tense, I excuse myself from the table and make my way back to the study so I can focus on planning my trip. It doesn't take long for Robin to join me as I stare down at a map.

"So that's it? You were just going to leave without saying goodbye or asking anybody to come along?"

"It's not as though I'm going alone." I say as I study the map. "Isaac will be accompanying me."  
I hear him let out a frustrated sigh but I don't look up.

"What could possibly be in Scotland for you at a time like this?" He asks.

"William—" I begin before he interrupts me.

"William is dead!"

As he says this my head snaps in his direction. My eyes narrow and I watch as he realizes what he said and his expression softens.

"That isn't what I meant…."

Straightening, I purse my lips and step toward him. "In all the time that you knew Marian, how much did you know about her?" I ask, pointedly. "Did you know of her life and family before you two were together?"

"Of course. Her father was the sheriff…" He says, his voice growing angrier by the second. "But that was different! I'm not leaving England in pursuit of a ghost!"

His words cut into me and I feel the tears forming but keep them at bay. "In the 8 years that I knew William, he never once told me about his past before he became an assassin. He promised me that one day, he would tell me everything." I clench my fists at my side. "Now, because of Delvin, that day will never come. William is gone and I still have no idea who he once was." I reach down into my bag and hold up his letter. "Before we set out on the contract in York, he wrote me this letter and had Edric promise to give it to me if anything happened to him. In his letter, he told of an old trunk he left at his family home in Scotland with things from his past life before he left Scotland. The life he wanted to share with me but never got a chance to tell me about." I sneer at him. "This is what is in Scotland for me. A chance to uncover my husband's past."

He lets out a sigh as he runs his hand over his hair. "Eva… I'm sorry…"

Shaking my head, I put the letter back in my pack. "Don't bother." I glance up at him with a stony expression. "You wouldn't understand."

"At least let me come with you." He says. "Isaac is great but I know how the Black knights and King John work. I know how they do things." He looks at me. "In our grotto, I swore to protect you and I plan to keep that promise."

"I'm capable of fending for myself, Robin." I say stubbornly. "I made it to Worksop and back without being captured or killed—"

"You got lucky." He retorts. "Who's to say you will be lucky again when you leave for Scotland? What if one of John's men spotted you and followed you here? He could have men scattered all over the forest surrounding the sanctuary right now! Stay here a little longer…"

My eyes narrow at him. "Is that order?"

His gaze never wavers, as he crosses his arms over his chest. "I guess it is. Stay here until we know it's safe to leave."

"I think that you're forgetting that I follow no leader." I growl.

He doesn't back down. "You say you're no longer an assassin but you're still part of _my_ gang."

I reach into the neckline of my tunic and yank the necklace Will Scarlet made for the gang, I drop it on the ground. "Not anymore."

Our gazes align before I push past him and pull aside the banner to the door. I pause for a moment to grab my pack and look back. "Goodbye Robin."


	5. Regrets and Dreams

Guy stares out the window of Locksley Manor, watching the servants wandering about as they do their chores.

"Sir Guy."

Hearing his name, he turns to sneer at the messenger. "What? I hope you have a good reason to disturb me."

The man bows. "Sorry, Sir. There is a visitor here to see you."

"Tell him I'm busy "

"It's a woman."

At this, Guy perks up. "Woman? What woman?"

The man shrugs. "She didn't give a name. She said you once were allies."

Guy's heart leaps but he keeps a somber expression. "Arrest her. She is a wanted woman and should be taken to Nottingham at once."

The man bows and quickly shuffles out of the room. As soon as he's gone, Guy quickly closes the door of his bed chamber. As soon as the lock is in place, he hears her musical laugh from behind him.

"A bit late for that, isn't it?"

He quickly turns to see Eva sitting on the window ledge, a smirk gracing her beautiful face. She's dressed in her outfit from before she was stripped and put into a cell. "Eva." He says, trying to mask the excitement in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

Hopping off the ledge and into the room, she glances around.

"I needed to see you. Things were a bit rocky the last time we saw each other."

"You ran off with Hood." He growls. "I offered you to marry me and be saved but you chose him."

"I know." She frowns. "And I admit that I made a mistake. Robin Hood is a boy and what I need is a man." A smirk forms as she steps toward him. "I need a man who isn't afraid to take what's his and isn't afraid to have power." She places her hand on his chest as her eyes look up at him. "I need a man like you, Guy."

Fighting to resist, he grabs her hand, tightly. "You had your chance. My offer is no longer on the table."

He expects her to frown but instead she smiles. "Then how about I make you an offer."

He scoffs. "What could you possibly offer me?"

"I can offer you a path to power, a renewed alliance between you and I, and…" She leans close to his ear. "Me."

He closes his eyes for a moment. "And what about Hood?"

"Hood is just an instrument to which we can use to our advantage."

His eyes open. "How?"

"As before, I will pretend to be part of his gang…."

He grabs her and glares down at her. "That's what we agreed upon last time and look what you did." He pushes here away. "We hired you to kill Hood and you failed."

"This time will be different." She retorts. "I will feed you information on him and when we agree on a time, date, and place, I will lure Hood out and you can kill him, once and for all."

Guy thinks about this. It was a tempting offer. "Me? Why me?"

She steps forward. "Think about it, Guy. If you were to kill Robin Hood yourself, you would be rejoiced as a hero by the King and be seen more favorably by the Sheriff." She grins.

"Or I could just arrest you now and take you in for the same reward."

She shrugs. "You could but I think I'm worth more alive than dead…" She brushes her hand over his arms. "I may be a wanted woman but I'm also very resourceful." She slowly walks around him, her hand dragging across his shirt before he feels her behind him. "Think about it how useful it would be to have an assassin in your back pocket…" She leans close to his ear. "And in your bed."

He whirls around and traps her against the door, his heart thudding in his chest. "And how do I know this isn't just another one of your tricks?" He growls. He watches her smirk as he feels her hands pulling his shirt from his trousers, letting it hang loosely. "You don't."

She pulls him to her and their lips crash against one another. Her hands fly up to cup his jaw as he pulls her to him. He pushes her up against the door, not caring if anybody hears. Their kiss breaks for a moment as he kisses down her neck. He smirks to himself as her breath grows ragged and she claws at his back. "Take me, Guy." He hears her breathe.

Picking her up, he carries her over to the bed and places her down. He removes his shirt and tosses it off to the side before their lips meet once more in a lust filled frenzy. There's an urgent pounding on the door. "Gisborne!" He hears somebody yell from the other side. He breaks away, sneering at the door. "One moment!" He yells back. He turns his attention back to Eva just as another angry shout and pounding on the door is here. Another shout and he lets out a frustrated sigh. "I said, one—" He begins to turn around just as he feels somebody pour some liquid on him. His eyes fly open as he quickly sits up and looks around him to see Vaisley standing before him, holding a tankard.

"Aww. Did I ruin your beauty sleep, Gisborne?" He asks with feigned sympathy. "Get up." He drops the tankard and it hits the stone floor with a clang. "No wonder we haven't found the assassin or Hood yet. You've spent most your time napping."

Guy casts an annoyed glance at him as he stands up. "My men have not reported anything in months." He grumbles. "We've scoured the forest time and time again and have come up with nothing. There has been no sign of any of the outlaws either. It's as if they have vanished off the face of the earth."

Vaisley slams his fists on the table. "People don't just vanish." He hisses. "Luckily for me, I have my own spies in various villages and towns. While you were here sleeping, one of my spies have reported a sighting of our little assassin friend in Worksop."

Guy pauses. "Eva is in Worksop? Did he say why or where she went in Worksop?"

"Something about a blacksmith." Vaisley shrugs. "You can go and question him yourself. Make yourself useful for once." He kicks the tankard and leaves the room.

Guy quickly changes his wet shirt and jerkin and grabs his sword. Thinking about his dream, he smirks to himself and leaves to gather his men.

* * *

As Eva disappears behind the banner, Robin's eyes glances down at her necklace lying on the floor. Stepping forward, he picks it up and looks down at it. "Eva—" He calls.

As he looks up, he hears the stone slide back into place. Gripping the tag in his hand, he strides out of the study towards the personal quarters. He rounds the corner just as Dyota appears at the end of the long hallway.

"Robin, there you are." Dyota calls as she jogs up to him. "Eva left so quickly, I was worried about her. Is she in the study?"

"She was." He mutters, brushing past her. "She's gone."

Dyota looks after him. "What do you mean? She said she wasn't leaving until the end of the week."

Robin says nothing as he disappears into his and Much's room. "Robin—" She begins to say. When she enters his room, she finds him looping his scarf around his neck. Her eyes fall on the open pack near the edge of his bed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going after her."

"Robin, please listen to me…" Dyota says as Robin turns on her.

Without looking up, he shakes his head. "The last time she left after a fight we had, she turned herself into the Sheriff and almost got herself hanged. If I don't go after her now, who knows what will happen to her."

"Robin, I understand how upset you are." Dyota begins. "Let's go back to the dining hall and discuss this. Running out after her will only get you both killed." Seeing that he's not listening, she takes the cloak he had just picked up from his hands. "Do you even know where she's going?"

"Probably Worksop."

"Is that what she told you?" Dyota asks.

"No." Robin says with a frustrated sigh. "But where else would she go? The only place I can think of would be to see Isaac so they can leave."

Dyota thinks about this for a moment before shaking her head. "She would never risk dragging Isaac along if she didn't have at least some sort of plan. If anything, I imagine she'd head north east to try to find a ship—" She stops mid-sentence as her eyes widen in realization.

"What?" He asks but she says nothing as she turns on her heel.

As she quickly leaves the room, Robin looks down at his pack before sighing and following her. She walks quickly back to dining hall but as they draw near, Robin walks alongside her. "What do you think she's planning?" He asks. She descends the stairs before him just as Much turns around from the pot.

"There you are." He says, spotting Robin. "There's still some stew left if you or Eva want it. If not I—" Seeing Robin's solemn expression he frowns. "What? I know that look and it never means anything good."

As he says that, Allan, John and Edric cease their conversation to look over. "Eva's gone." Robin replies, gravely. "I tried to talk her out of going on this fool's errand to Scotland during our current situation. We fought and she stormed out."

"Any idea where to?" Edric asks, glancing at Dyota.

"Probably to tell Isaac that plans have changed." Allan chimes in. "I doubt he'll be very happy about it."

"I think she went to speak to Leiv." Dyota says to Edric. "She needs a ship after all."

"Whose Leiv?" Robin asks.

Dyota turns to look at him. "Leiv is an old friend of her and William's. He's a ship captain of _The Heart of the Sea_."

"He's also a Northman and pirate." Edric adds with an amused grin.

"Great. Black Knights, the Sheriff, King John and _now_ Northmen Pirates!" Much exclaims. "This is what we fought for? Is there anything in England that doesn't want to kill us?"

"He's not an enemy." Dyota points out.

"Not that we know of." Much mutters. "Eva does have a habit of hanging around with the dangerous types."

Ignoring Much's comment, she turns back to Robin. "I'll reach out to my contacts and find out if Leiv has docked recently and have them report back to me if there's and sightings of Eva." She places a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "Don't worry Robin. I'll ensure that she's safe."

* * *

Guy and his men rode out into the night to Worksop in hopes of catching Eva unawares in the night. As they reach the road leading into Worksop, Guy holds up his hand to make his men come to a halt.

"Have your men spread out. I want guards stationed around the perimeter of the town and guarding the front and back of the blacksmith shop." Guy orders, turning towards his commander. "If Eva is still here, I don't want her leaving. Report back to me at the Blacksmith if you find anything."

With a nod, his commander wheels his horse around and carries out his lord's orders while Guy rides ahead to the blacksmith with two of his guards riding on either side. As they are within a few feet, of the shop, Guy swings out of his saddle and tosses the reins to his squire.

* * *

Sabine is jolted awake as somebody pounds on the door. She sits up, her heart racing. Another pounding sounds and she jumps up and wraps her shawl around her shoulders and lights a candle before tiptoeing to Isaac's room. As she enters his room, she notices that he is already awake and has his sword unsheathed and ready to fight. "Do you think that's Eva?" She asks, quietly.

As soon as she says this, there's another pounding on the door and a gruff voice calls through the door. "By order of the King, open this door."

"Is that—?" She begins to ask but Isaac begins to pull on his boots and cloak.

"It's Gisborne." He replies. "No doubt he's looking for Eva, me or both."

"What would the King want with you?" She asks. "What is happening?"

"It's a very long story, my love." He steps forward and cups her face in his hands. "I'm going to sneak out the back. I need to warn Djaq and Will."

Her eyes widen with fear. "What do I do?"

"By order of the KING, open this door or we will be forced to break it down." Guy calls once more, the agitation evident in his voice.

"Answer the door. If he asks, tell them that Eva did come here but you turned her away because your father is ill. You haven't seen her since. Do you understand?"

She takes a shaky breath but nods.

He gives her a small smile and pulls her into a kiss before quickly breaking away. "I will be back. I promise."

Another angry shout and Isaac quickly goes to the back and opens the window outlooking the back of the shop as Sabine quickly goes down to the door. "Coming!" She calls back. She glances back Isaac as he sneaks out the top floor window onto the roof of the forging area and closes the window before opening the door.

"Sir Guy." She says making a small curtsy. "Is everything alright? We weren't expecting you at this hour."

"I'm sure you weren't." He sneers. "We're looking for an outlaw named, Eva. She skipped out of her execution earlier this year." He says as he unfurls a wanted poster and holds it out to her. "My sources say that she was here yesterday."

Sabine stares down at the poster thoughtfully before nodding. "She was." She says. "She was asking to see my father about a sword but I turned her away since he has been ill these past few months." She says, handing him back the poster. "I haven't seen her since. Had I known she was a wanted criminal, I would have informed the guards."

Taking the poster back, he studies her for a moment. "Since you seem to have nothing to hide, you wouldn't mind us taking a look around." Before she can say anything, he motions to one of his guards to join him and pushes past her. She closes the door behind them and scurries up the stairs after them. She watches uneasily as they search her home, carelessly dropping things on the floor and breaking things.

"Please Sir….my father is ill and is resting just in the other room." She pleads.

Guy and his guard exchange glances. "Go check his room." Guy says, motioning to the nearby door.

"No!" Sabine exclaims, stepping forward. Guy blocks her from following the guard. "He's ill!"

He ignores her plead and waits until the man returns. "Well?"

"All clear, Sir Guy." The man reports back. "No sign of her or the others."

A look of agitation crosses Guy's face as he turns to face her. "We'll be back." He warns. "If we find out that you're lying, you and your father will be hanged for treason."

Sabine manages to maintain a strong front until Guy and his guard is gone before she begins to tremble. She casts a glance at the window. "Please hurry back, Isaac." She whispers.

* * *

As I slid the stone back into place, I felt the angry tears I had been holding back only moments ago begin to slide down my cheeks. The heartache that began to eat at me was like a red-hot iron placed on my chest. The more I thought about Robin's cutting words, the more it glowed and burnt me at the same time with no sign of relief in sight. I step away from the cold stone and turn on my heel.

Nearing the mouth of the cave, my breathing is ragged, gasping and the strength leaves my legs. I sink to my knees not caring about the grit that dug into them.

I had always been so self-conscious when I cried, feeling as though I showed weakness but now I just gave way to the enormity of my grief. I sobbed into my hands and the tears dripped between my fingers, raining down onto the cold earth but there was no-one there to witness it let alone come to comfort me.

How could this have happened, and so quickly? I had been home for less than a few hours and in that time my relationship with Robin had been decimated, and I was cast out of my home with no map, and no plan all because I had acted recklessly without a care for what would come next.

I cried until no more tears came, but still the emptiness and sorrow remained. Slowly, I dragged myself to my feet and inhaled a shaky breath. No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't just wait here. The only thing I could do now was find a place to camp for the night and formulate some form of a plan.

I stalk towards the sleeping town of Southwell, forcing my mind to think of someplace to stay. I knew for sure it was far too risky to camp in the forest. From the dark recesses of my mind, I recalled a place that Will had shown me after we had eloped.

Near the very edge of the town, there sat a decently sized cottage on the plain near the woods, so old and poor that it was surprising how it was still standing.

I cautiously approach the house. Abandoned dwellings such as this was always open to bandits and other lowly individuals. I remove my dagger from my belt and make my way inside.

The inside is so quiet and so peacefully that for a split-second, I forgot about my troubles as I'm filled with nostalgia. With little help from the moonlight, I'm locate one of the torches that somebody has carelessly tossed to the floor. Once I'm able to get it lit, I hold it up to look around me. Tankards, old food and wood plates litter room and the small wooden table. One of the chairs that once accompanies it was left standing while I notice that the others had been broken and the pieces thrown away.

I stare at the doorway as though I can see the ghosts of my past memory replaying before me.

"Where are we?" I remember asking him. He smiled at me, his warm hand in mine as he pulled me with him.

"Come on, Lass. I want to show you something."

I stepped aside, watching as he led me up the wooden steps to the upstairs. I follow them and watch as Will stops before the door which has now been broken off its hinges and hangs limply.

I remember my heart beating quickly as he smiled at me. "This is it, Lass."

He picked me up in his strong arms and carried me through the doorway. It was this moment that I treasured. He set me down and lights the candles of the room, making it warm and inviting.

I remember standing near the doorway, nervously as any new bride would be before going to her marriage bed.

Stepping into the room, I turn the little corner and see the bed that once stood there, the very bed I spent my first night as husband and wife with Will now sat broken and barren. Tears rim my eyes as grief once more grips my heart like a vice.  
I watch as Will approaches my younger self, caressing her cheek as he stares into her eyes. I bring my hand up to my cheek as though I can still feel the warmth of his hand.  
"I'm sorry we don't have much of a proper bed." He says. "I figured you'd want to join together as husband and wife in someplace more private than an Inn or the Sanctuary."

"It's perfect." I remember saying, smiling up at him. "I'm just happy to be here with you."

I watch as we kiss and slowly make our way towards the small bed. I remember it all. Our bodies fit together as if we were made just for this, to fall into one another, to feel this natural rhythm. He whispered my name as our bodies touched. Slowly, we became entwined. Our hearts fusing into one, while our bodies moved. I remember how in that moment, nothing else mattered.

The vision melts away as I stand there now, staring down at the broken bed. Will is gone and I'm aware of how alone I truly am. I pick up the candle and its holder that lies on the floor near the corner. Sitting near the wall, I set the candle down and light it with my torch. As it flickers to life, I extinguish my torch in the small puddle that had formed from the rain we had recently. I lean back against the wall of the room and pull my cloak tighter around me to shield myself from the breeze that flows through the hole in the old thatched roof.

I fall into a fitful sleep plagued with nightmares of the night William was killed. Only this time I held Robin as he died in my arms. An arrow sticks out his chest as he mutters his last words to me. Rain soaks us both to the bone as it merges with the tears streaming down my face.

I wake the next morning, cold and wet as I lift my soaked sleeve from the puddle. The early morning light streams through the broken window, so I can see the ruined room around me. Memories of my first night with Will flood back but I push them from my mind. I get to my feet and stretch, feeling stiff from the unforgiving floor that I had slept on.

In the moments before I had drifted off to sleep, I decided to head north east towards Grimsby of hopes of booking passage for Isaac and I on one of the ships. It would get me far away from the Sanctuary and Nottingham and buy Isaac more time with Sabine and Theo before I had to pull him away from his life.

I leave the cottage and make a beeline to the stable. The sleepy stable hand is busy taking care of the horses when I approach. "Boy." I say, beckoning him forward. As he approaches I point to a black palfrey near the front. "Ready that horse. Quickly." He hesitates for a moment and I let out an impatient sigh. "You will be paid generously for your haste."

He gives a quick nod. "Right away."

One my horse is ready, I dig in my purse and give him a mark before swinging up into the saddle. He thanks me for the money but I quickly leave, for fear of being seen by one of Robin's men.

* * *

Isaac paces frantically back and forth in Djaq and Will's room. A headache starts to form as he tries to think of a way out of this but so far comes up with nothing.

"I knew something bad was going to happen if Eva rode here at a time like this." He mutters. "When she gets frantic, she's not very cautious."

"Perhaps we should send a letter back to her at the Sanctuary and warn her about Guy's men." Will suggests. "Maybe her and Dyota can come up with a plan to deal with this. I'm sure there's a way to get them out of the shop and into a safe place."

"It'd be difficult." Isaac replies, glumly. "They've got the shop surrounded and are patrolling the town as we speak. I was just lucky enough to get here because I stuck to the shadows. Sabine could maybe do the same but Theo is far too ill." He frowns. "His coughing would alert the guards."

Djaq stands up from her perch on the bed and walks over to place a hand on his shoulder to stop his pacing. "We'll find a way to get them out."

Isaac matches her gaze. "I hope so."


	6. I Have a Favor to Ask

I stare down at the letter that I've read at least a hundred times before, tracing the familiar scrawl with my finger. I glance up every so often to survey the room for somebody to stumble in from the dock.

In the two days that I've been in Grimsby, I've found neither somebody with a ship worth breaking into to steal a map nor somebody who looks trustworthy enough to entrust with staying until I rode back to Worksop to retrieve Isaac.

Sighing, I drain my tankard and place Will's letter back in my pack. As I'm about to rise to leave for the night, a loud group of men enter the tavern led by a tall man with dirty blonde hair.

"Leiv?" I mutter in disbelief.

"Drink up, fyrðar! Afterwards we'll take in all the pleasures that England has to offer." He says, grabbing the rear of a barmaid that is passing by. She gasps and slaps his hand away which earns a round of laughter and jeers from the men. Amused, Leiv looks back at them and says something in another language which causes another round of laughter before they circle around a nearby table.

He glances over in my direction and I quickly duck my head, hiding my face with my hood. As he looks away, I quietly stand up from my seat and slip out the back. The cool night air greets me as I leave the warmth of the tavern and begin to make my way toward the docks. I know better than to approach Leiv for his help while he's surrounded by the men of his crew. I have to get him alone and I know exactly how to do it.

* * *

While the ship is still occupied by some of the crew, most of the men are passed out drunk and never notice as I steal my way onto Leiv's ship and into the great cabin near the back. Inside the cabin, I look around the space before me. To the right of the door, a floor to ceiling bookcase sits inside the wall, filled with assorted books and small treasures from his travels. I smile to myself as I rub my fingers over the worn spines of the books. Even for being a pirate, Leiv was surprisingly an avid reader. He's always so curious about the world and everything in it.

I step forward into his small living quarters which a bed hugging the wall to the left and a small table with a book open on top as though he was called away mid-reading. Beyond in the attached room was his study which boasted a large wooden desk piled with papers—most which were probably warrants and wanted posters from various countries.

Off to the side of the desk their various cupboards line the walls. Knowing he won't be back for at least an hour or two, I decide to wait for him to return. I remove one of the torches from nearby and light a candle from his desk. Replacing the torch, I use the candle to search through his maps while I wait.

* * *

By the time Leiv finally stumbles into his cabin, I have since looked at his maps and am now reading his warrants. He bursts in suddenly as I sit in his chair with my boots propped up against the desk, a stack of warrants in one hand and the candle in the other. I open my mouth to greet him when I hear him mutter something and a feminine giggle is heard behind him signaling he's not alone. I blow out the candle and carefully set the holder on the desk and carefully lower my feet. The candle was the only light near me so I now wait and watch from the darkness as he pulls his companion into the room and kicks the door shut before pushing her hard against the bookshelf. He pulls up her skirts and lifts her, pushing her into the bookshelf with each thrust. A book or two fall as he starts slow and begins to speed up. Moans escape from both of them and I look away, the heat rising to my cheeks.

They finish and he begins to set her down when I clear my throat. I wait for Leiv to take notice but he doesn't. They continue to speak and I see his hand go under her dress once more. He flips her around so her chest is pressed against the shelf as he cups her breast is one hand, muttering something to her.

I clear my throat once more, louder and finally get his attention. He turns to the darkened study, releasing the woman.

"Who's there?" He demands, staring into the darkness. He unsheathes his sword and holds it out before him. "Show yourself, coward. Only cowards stalk people from the dark."

I grin, knowing he can't see. I stand and walk slowly out into the meager light of his living quarters, stopping near the door way. "I don't know about that." I say with a grin. "Hello Leiv."

His eyes widen as he recognizes me. "Eva?" He says in disbelief.

The woman steps toward him and hugs his shoulder. "Two is extra." She purrs into his ear but his eyes remain fixed on me.

I raise an eyebrow. "Should I come back?"

Dazed, he shakes his head. "No… she was just leaving."

She steps back and crosses her arms over her chest. "Not until I get paid."

He looks away for a moment to dig in his purse and pays the woman. He doesn't wait for the door to shut as he turns back to me, a grin spread across his handsome face.

"Eva Hasting." He says. "It's been ages."

I nod. "Indeed it has. Sorry for interrupting." I say. I feel the heat begin to rise to my cheeks and turn away, facing the small table so he can fix his trousers.

"It's fine." He walks past me and grabs the torch from the wall and motions for me to follow as he begins lighting the torches around the study, filling is with a warm and inviting light. Replacing the torch, he walks back to his desk and looks at me. "So how's William? I'm surprised he's not with you. You two are practically attached at the hip."

At the mention of Will's name, I bow my head. "Will is dead."

I silence fills the room and I glance up at him to make sure he's still there. He frowns. "Will's dead?" He repeats and I nod. He takes a step forward but stops about a meter away. "When? How?"

"Three years ago we were on our way back from a contract." I say, the scene replaying in my head as if it was yesterday. "We were ambushed and he was killed right in front of me."

A tear slid unchecked down my cheek. Reliving the painful memory, I just stood there as still as a statue while the magnitude of my loss swept over me. I feel him watching me, unsure what to do when I look up to meet his gaze. "Will is gone because he loved me."

His brow furrow in confusion. "Because he loved you? I don't understand…"

"Our leader, Delvin, betrayed us. He hired the men who killed Will to ambush us on our way home."

"Do you have any idea why?"

"We wanted to leave the Shadows and start our life anew as a married couple. Farm… start a family…." I look away, the tears threatening to fall again. "Now all that is gone…"A few rogue tears break free and spill down my cheeks.

Leiv pulls me into an embrace, holding me tightly against him as we grieve over our mutual friend. I cling to him, burying my face in his shoulder. He pulls away slightly; his hand comes up to cup my cheek. I feel his thumb run across my cheek, wiping away my tears as his blue eyes—which are a shade or two darker than Will's were—peer into my own. "Eva….I am so sorry. Will was a great man."

I nod but can't find the words to express what I'm feeling. The vulnerability and the relief I feel that finally somebody feels the loss of Will as much as I do and understands my grief.

Sniffing, I pull away from him and wipe my tears with the neckline of my tunic. "Actually, it's because of this betrayal that brings me to you."

"What do you mean?" He asks.

Digging into my pack, I grab Will's letter. "Before we left on our contract, Will have a letter to our fellow Shadow sibling, Edric to give to me if anything were to happen to him." I begin.

"So he knew something was going to happen?" He asks, taking the letter from me.

I shrug. "He asked Delvin before the mission for his blessing for him and I to leave and Delvin said he'd give us his answer when we got back."

"And his response was to have you killed?" Leiv shakes his head, disapprovingly. "What a bastard."

"He is." I agree. "After Will's death, I was given the letter he wrote but, filled with grief, I didn't read it until recently." I motion for him to read it and wait patiently. Once he gets near the bottom, I speak again. "He speaks of a trunk with possessions from his old life at his family home. Stuff that will finally help me find closure and allow me to see what he was like before."

"So, I take it you're asking me to take you to Scotland so you can find this trunk?" He asks, handing the letter back.

"Yes. Will you?"

He folds his arms over his chest and takes a deep breath before replying. "And what if the trunk is no longer around? Or if his family won't allow you to see it?"

I shrug. "I have to try, Leiv." I say. "I need this." I place the letter in my pack and look at him. "So will you help me or no?"

He eyes me for a moment and I wait patiently for his answer. Finally, he lets out a sigh. "You should know by now that I'd do anything for you." He says before quickly adding, "And William too, if he was alive."

Smiling, I pull him into a hug and kiss him on the cheek as a thank you. "Thank you, Leiv!" I exclaim.

He tries to suppress his grin. "Be ready. We leave at dawn."

I frown, pulling away to look at him. "I can't leave that early." I say. He raises an eyebrow at me.

"How come?"

"My companion is in Worksop and is supposed to be coming with me. I have to go retrieve him."

"I see…" He says. "Is he your…lover?"

I chuckle, shaking my head. "No. He's more like an apprentice of mine. I trained him to join the Shadow Hunters once Will passed."

He nods. "Very well. We'll prepare for the voyage while we wait. Once you return, we'll set sail."

"Again… thank you, Leiv." I say with a smile. "I will return as soon as I can."

Giddy with everything going so well, I turn on my heel and head towards the door. "I'll see you whenever I get back." I say, pulling open the door. Now to get Isaac.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey everyone! I know this chapter is super short compared to the previous one but I just wanted to quickly move the story forward and introduce Leiv for later chapters. While I didn't go into much detail about him in the last chapter or in this one either, what do you guys think about him so far? :)**

 **Happy Holidays and a happy new year!**


	7. Interlude: Visions

**_A/N: Since this book is a crossover with the show, Vikings**, this chapter serves as a peek into their world, introduces some characters for later on and gives a little bit of background story._**

 ** _This chapter is important for later on so please DO NOT SKIP THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T INVOLVE ROBIN OR EVA. I wanted to introduce some characters now before they meet up with Eva because when they meet, there will be a lot going on and I won't be able to fit in much background stuff on them._**

 ** _That is all! Enjoy! :)_**

* * *

 **Kattegat, Scandinavia**

Peering between the barricade of bones near the entrance of the hut, Ragnar watches the cloaked man as he bends over the small stone surface before him. He waits until the man straightens, his unseeing eyes facing forward as he speaks.

"Once again, Ragnar." The man says, sensing his presence. The corners of Ragnar's mouth curl upwards but he says nothing as he remains where he stands. "I know, never as King. Never as King Ragnar." More silence as he continues. "What does a King require from a simple seer?"  
Regardless of being the other person in the hut, Ragnar glances around nervously before pressing his face against the barricade.

"There's a city called Paris." He whispers.

"Paris, yes." The Seer nods. "I have seen its gates."

Ragnar's eyes gleam with curiosity as he steps around the barricade and into the little hovel.

"And I see that its gates are already here, to my eyes." The seer adds.  
Ragnar lowers himself down to sit before him. "What does that mean?"

"It means exactly as I have said." The seer says plainly. "I do not lie about what I see, King Ragnar, only sometimes I withhold things, for human beings cannot bear too much reality."

Hiding his annoyance, Ragnar looks away for a moment. "Hmm." He mutters. He turns to look at the man, choosing his words carefully. "Then if you can see…" He says, pausing for a moment to gauge the seer's reaction. "Tell me if I will conquer Paris."  
"Godless and stained with blood, one shrouded in darkness will seek the help of a King and will lose life at tip of a blade."

Ragnar's brow furrows. "Godless and stained with blood?"

Ignoring this, the seer smirks. "I can also see that not the living, but the dead, will conquer Paris."  
Ragnar thinks about this a moment, before his lips also curl up into an amused grin. "Not the living but the dead?" He repeats

Nodding, the seer continues. "I see that the bear will be crowned by a princess which does not bode too well for you, King Ragnar." He laughs but Ragnar barely hears him as he thoughts are preoccupied with what was previously said.

Standing, he glances at the seer. "Thank you, ancient one." He says, distracted. "I know now what I must do."

Without awaiting a response, he turns on his heel and strides out of the room.

* * *

The hall is buzzing with activity when Ragnar returns. He nods at those who greet him as he makes his way up to his chair which awaits him atop its platform. As he rounds his chair and flops down into it, somebody off to the side notices and calls for silence.

Ragnar waits until the room is quiet and for those turned away from him to face him before he speaks. "I have made up my mind." He announces, his eyes scanning the crowd before him. "And this year, we shall attack Paris."

Whispers erupted from around him and he nods.  
"Paris?" His brother, Rollo, asks mockingly as he carefully rises from his seat. "What is Paris?"

Ignoring his brother's snide tone, he leans forward in his chair. "That is a good question, brother." He looks around at his people. "Paris is a city in the country of Frankia." He waits for anymore snide comments from his brother but Rollo remains silent. "Next!"

His gaze lands on his ex-wife, Lagertha as she gives him an icy glare. He quickly looks away as his son, Bjorn stands up. "Why haven't you told us all about this before?"

He glances behind him as some of the other men behind him voice their agreement.

Feigning surprise, he looks at him. "Because I'm telling you now." He smiles as laughter ripples through his audience. He quickly jumps up from his seat and climbs down from the small platform and up onto a nearby table. "I understand that this will not be easy. By all accounts, Paris is a huge… walled…well-protected city!" Rollo casts an annoyed glance at his brother as Ragnar continues his speech and walks from table to table. "This is something that our people have never attempted or dreamt of before." He pauses and squats down near his friend, Floki and his wife Helga. Glancing at Floki, he lowers his voice to a whisper. "But I have…begun to think…" He places a hand on his friend's head, petting his hair lovingly. "and dream of it." Floki smiles at this and looks as Ragnar points off into the distance at a man leaning against a wooden pillar. Seeing his old friend point to him, the man smiles.  
"Athelstan." Ragnar say. As he speaks his name, everybody turns to look at the Englishman curiously. "Come!" He beckons him.

Athelstan glances around the room at the people staring, some with curiously and some with distaste. Ragnar stands and walks toward Athelstan and Floki's eyes cast downward. His lips form a grimace and his expression darkens as his friend turns his attention to his rival.

"Come!" Ragnar beckons again.

Helga watches her husbands steeled expression as he glares at Athelstan before looking downwards once more.

"Athelstan has been to Paris." Ragnar continues. He crouches on the table once more, pulling Athelstan to his side as he speaks. "And the wanderer who first told me about England, he too told me about this city." A mutters sound from behind them. Ragnar looks around before slamming his hand down on the table. "We must find him!" He exclaims.

Athelstan chuckles to himself and walks back to his previous position and somebody yells from the far side of the hall. "Yes!"

Ragnar grins as he scans the crowd once more. His gaze lands on a wide eyed little girl standing behind the table he's standing on. "For it is good to travel with hope and with courage." He says, offering the girl a small smile. She returns his smile and he picks up a cup from the table. "But it is still better…" He says standing up. "to travel with knowledge!" He raises his cup in the air. The crowd cheers and he lets out a loud cheer of his own before throwing the liquid up into the air and letting rain down on the nearby fire. Other people happily throw their drinks in the air as well while Helga grins happily at her friend while Floki forces a smile before shooting a glare at Athelstan.

"We will take this place!" Somebody from the crowd yells causing more cheers. Rollo sits back down and pours himself some ale, ignoring all the cheering in his weakened state.

Amongst the smiling faces, Lagertha remains solemn and waits for Ragnar to step down from the table. He finally does so and wraps an arm around Athelstan's shoulders, beaming as he says something to him before he's stopped by an angry looking Lagertha. His grin melts away and Athelstan excuses himself.

"What about your promise?" She fumes.

His brows knit together. "What promise?"

"To visit my Earldom." She says. "To go to Hedeby to speak to the usurper."

Realizing what she's talking about, he smiles. "Let us go then!"

* * *

When they arrive in Hedeby, Lagertha wastes no time. She quickly dismounts her horse and charges toward the hall and pushes through the doors. Ragnar quickly jogs behind her to see her walk up to a group of men talking. Their leader and the Usurper, Kalf, is sitting on his chair and talking to one of the men and looks over at Lagertha and her trailing party as they enter.  
"Kalf!" Lagertha exclaims, striding up to him. "You know why we've come."

Kalf sets the cup he was drinking out of on a nearby table before standing and walking over to stand before her.  
"You have usurped my rights and my lands, to whom you were sworn in fealty and trust." Lagertha states. Kalf's attention drifts as he sees Ragnar stride in behind her. "I expect you to hand both land and title back."

Kalf glances at Ragnar before looking down, chuckling to himself.  
Amused, Ragnar speaks up. "Hello, Kalf." He greets. He glances at Lagertha for a moment before stepping forward. "Perhaps we might discuss these matters… privately."

Hearing this, Lagertha casts an annoyed glance at him. Kalf glances at Lagertha before nodding.  
"As you wish, King Ragnar." As Kalf turns and walks back to the next room, Ragnar steals a glance at Lagertha behind him. Seeing her annoyance, he purses his lips, nods and continues after Kalf.

As the two men leave the room, the remaining men in the room turn to look at Lagertha and an uncomfortable silence falls over the room.

"Please." Ragnar smirks, his back turned to Kalf. "sit." Kalf does as he's told and Ragnar looks at the curtains hanging around the room. He sniffs and turns to face him. "I would prefer to avoid the unnecessary loss of lives fighting a civil war with you." Walking over Kalf, he takes his drink from his hand and drinks what is left of it before chucking the cup into the fire. Kalf flinches  
"Do you mind if I call you Earl, Kalf?" Ragnar muses. Kalf begins to reply but Ragnar cuts him off. "Uh-huh!" He exclaims, turning away to look at the curtain. "Come the spring, I will be invading a country called Frankia." He looks at the curtains and pulls them together, noting their quality. "Hm…"

Kalf carefully watches him from his seat.

"And I would like to invite you, your men and your ships, to join me on this expedition."  
Kalf looks away as he considers this. "And if I refuse?" He asks, curiously.

Ragnar grins. "You will lose everything."

"Even my Earldom?"

"You mean my Earldom." Lagertha points out as she appears behind Ragnar. Startled, Ragnar spins around to see her behind him. His eyes widen before he turns his attention back to Kalf. "Hm…." He mutters, stepping back from his ex-wife.

"That is between you and my ex-wife." He says. He starts to walk past her and pauses. Her icy gaze pierces through him and he glances at Kalf and then back. "And good luck with that."

She glares at him and he quickly leaves them to talk. As he walks away he hears Lagertha's voice rising with each word and he grins to himself.

Striding back into the hall, he passes Kalf's men to stand near his own that traveled with him. "Is everything alright, King Ragnar?" One of his men say, casting a suspicious glance at Kalf's men.

Grinning, Ragnar clasps a hand on the man's shoulder. "I think it's safe to say that this is now Kalf's problem." He looks at the others. "Let's return home." 

* * *

Rollo sits before the seer, angrily twisting the arm ring around his wrist. "Ragnar was always chosen over me." He mutters. "By my father, and my mother, then by Lagertha..." He sneers. "Why would I not want to betray him? Why would I not want to scream at him, "You see, I am alive too!"" He looks away. "Being alive is nothing." He spits. "It doesn't matter what I do. Ragnar is my father, he is my mother, he is Lagertha, he is Siggy." He says. He frowns for a moment as he thinks of Siggy. Aside from when she betrayed him and slept with King Horik, he loved her. He loved her and now she's gone. Anger roars up inside him. Why did she have to drown in the icy lake? Why was life so unfair? Why did Ragnar always end up on top and always got what he wanted? "He is everything I cannot do, everything I cannot be." Rollo fumes. "I love him; He is my brother. He has taken me back after I have betrayed him…." His voice shakes. "But I am so angry! Why am I still so angry? You tell me, wise one! "

"Hmm." The seer begins to say but he is quickly cut off by Rollo.

"Or I will tell you!" He exclaims. "It is because I am useless, feckless, hollowed-out by failed ambitions— by failed loves." He shakes his head. "Nothing good can ever come of my life now."

As he says this, the seer begins to laugh. Rollo glares at him. "What is there to laugh about?" He growls.

"Oh Rollo, if you truly knew what the gods have in store for you, you would go down now and dance naked on the beach." He says, erupting with laughter. Rollo's brows knit together in confusion.

"I don't understand." He whispers.  
"I tell you, as I told Ragnar. The bear will marry a princess and I can tell you, that you will be present at the ceremony." Rollo is wracked with confusion and waits for an explanation but the seer waves him off. "Now go and leave me."

Reluctant, Rollo stands up and casts a glance at the Seer before turning away and exiting the hut.

* * *

 _** Most of this was taken directly from the show (Season 3, Episode 5) with some alterations to fit with the story. As with Robin Hood BBC, I do not own anything from the shows themselves. Credit goes to their respective owners._


	8. The Traitor Trader

Robin lies on his bed, rubbing his thumb over the carved symbol of Eva's discarded tag. Since Dyota told him that she'd send a message to her contacts, he couldn't stop thinking about their fight.

Casting a glance at Much's sleeping form, he quickly puts Eva's tag around his neck and tucks it into his tunic. As he does this, his fingers graze the string that holds Marian's wedding ring. His hand closes over it and his eyes close in painful remembrance. Even to this day he misses her.

He missed how she's try to suppress a smile whenever he was around her; Or the way her expression softened when she was helping those in need.

He shakes his head in attempt to shake away the memories. Words couldn't express how much he regretted what he said to Eva about chasing a ghost. Deep down, he understood the want of closure after losing her first love. For months after Marian's death, nothing seemed real. It all seemed like some horrible nightmare that he couldn't seem to wake up from. Every night after she was laid to rest, he hoped that he'd wake up to find her fast asleep in their shared bed at Locksley manor. He wished that they would have continued where they left off and live the married life that they were so destined for.

He opens his eyes and looks about the darkened room. The only light came from a candle sitting on the little table nearby. Robin stares for a moment at the stone walls of his room—the flickering light causing the shadows to dance.

With a sudden surge of urgency, he leaps up from his bed and quickly crosses the room. Within moments, he found himself standing at the doorway of Dyota's room. A happy fire crackles away as she sits before her fireplace, watching the flames with a cup clasped in her hand. She casually glances over and raises a brow. "Robin…Is everything alright?" She motions towards the vacant chair next to her and he sits.

She pours him a cup of ale and hands it to him, noticing the bags that have begun to form under his eyes. "I'm assuming that you're here to ask whether or not I've received word about Eva."

He gives a slight nod. "I just want to know that she's at least still alive." He says. "She's only been gone for a few days but being that we're being hunted, I worry."

Dyota nods. "I know you do, Robin. I do too." She offers him a smile. "Unfortunately I have yet to receive word of Eva or Leiv's whereabouts. I imagine the king has spies and everywhere which makes it hard for our contacts to find time to respond."

Robin's face drops even more, making her frown. "Luckily for us, we know a thing or two about being hunted and have found ways around it in the past." She leans toward Robin, smiling. "Tomorrow, I promise you that I check for responses. If that shows nothing, I'll ride out myself. In the meantime, rest up. Nothing good will come from weariness."

* * *

Aside from my separation from Robin, everything seemed to be falling into place. After leaving Leiv's ship, a new sense of purpose and excitement washed over me. I couldn't wait to return to Worksop to tell Isaac the wonderful news that we can set sail immediately.

My happiness was short lived when I drew nearer to the town to find what I knew were unmistakably Gisborne's men patrolling the perimeter.

With a great enough distances between us, I slow my. From what I could see, there were two archers stationed on either side of the road and at least two other men patrolling the town behind them.

Cursing under my breath, I dismount and lead my horse off the road and into the surrounding brush. I need time to think of a plan to get inside the town, undetected. Tying my horse to a nearby branch, I pull on the hood of my cloak and lift my shroud to cover my face. If I'm going to find a way in, I should at least get an idea how many there are and where they are stationed.

Crouched among bushes near the edge of the wood, I scan the area. My dismay grows with every new armored guard I see. I begin to worry when I look in the direction of the inn. It was for this exact reason that Will and Djaq chose the run down one to stay at since the back exit was close to the forest.

I duck my head as I notice the two guards walking past me. Once they're far enough away, I lift my head once more and silently walk back towards where I left my horse.

As I'm about to unhitch my mount, I hear the sound of carriage in the distance. Peering around the tree, I notice a trader-looking man steering an enclosed horse-drawn carriage.

An idea forms and I prepare my bow and nock an arrow while I wait for the carriage to come a little closer. Once it does, I take a deep breath and quickly walk out before the horse and aim my arrow at the man. His eyes widen as he halts the carriage.

"I need your cart." I say loudly from behind my shroud. I risk, stealing a glance near the end of the road to see if I caught the attention of any of the guards. Once I see that I I haven't, I turn my attention back to the man who now is sneering at me.

"No." He says. "I'm an honest working trader and I refuse to be held up by a wo—"

Growing impatient, I pull a signature Robin Hood move and shoot an arrow inch from his neck. His eyes widen once more.

"I suggest you cooperate before my aim improves." I say.

"Fine!" He says, readying to climb down from his carriage. "Take it!"

I shake my head. "I don't want your goods. I just need to ride in your cart into town." I explain. "Once inside, you may go about your day and I will trouble you no more. Understand?"

His brow furrows in confusion but nods.

"Good." I lower my bow and quickly climb inside his carriage and close the doors behind me.

The carriage has little slits near the front that allow a little light and a view of the front. I sit close to it on a chest and scan the inside while the carriage begins to move. Surprisingly, the inside is filled with assorted goods including bolts of fabric, jewelry, clothes, even a small hand mirror. Maybe I should have taken his goods after all. Pushing the thought aside, I take the mirror and put it in my pack before looking out at the front as we get closer to the two guards.

"Say nothing and I will pay you two pounds for safe passage and another pound for keeping quiet."

We draw nearer and the guards stop us. "Hold it." One of them says. "What is your business here, trader?"

"I'm here for the marketplace." He replies.

"By order of the King, we'll need to search your carriage to make sure you're not transporting any wanted criminals."

"Bribe him." I hiss.

"Is that really necessary?" He complains. "I'm just trying to make a living. I had just come from Doncaster." From inside the carriage, I can see that they're unaffected from his story.

"Bribe him." I hiss again.

"I appreciate all that you guards do for us." The trader says. "You two look like you're tired. I imagine you two would fancy a pint of ale right about now, wouldn't you?"

I roll my eyes as he says this, thinking there's no way that could work. To my surprise, the guards seem to consider it.

"We've been out here since late last night." One of them say.

"That's an awful long time to be standing around." The trader says. "The marketplace doesn't open for a little while anyways. How about you two take a small break and have a drink with me at the alehouse?"

"We can't leave our post." The other guard says.

"How about this: "The trader says, leaning toward them. "You let me through and I'll meet you at the alehouse and order us some drinks. In the meantime, you two can find somebody to replace you. It's a win/win. What do you say?"

I have to practically suppress the urge to laugh. Are they really buying this?

The guards exchange a glance before looking around. "Alright, move along."

The trader nods. "Thank you. I will see you inside." As he says this, the guards glance suspiciously at the carriage. We ride on and I have the suspicion that regardless of what I heard, the bastard must have tipped off the guards of my hiding spot by making motions I was unable to see from where I'm sitting.

The carriage passes the guards and I thank him for everything as I move towards the back.

"I expect full payment after this." He mutters.

"Of course." I say. Pushing the back doors open slightly, I try to make out any guards nearby before quickly escaping the carriage. I close the doors once more and blend in with a group of villagers scurrying to get ready for the market.

Staying within large groups and in the shadows, I notice the two guards trying to casually walk along the streets as they keep an eye on the trader's carriage. I follow along with a great enough distance to remain undetected. As the carriage slows close to the inn where Will and Djaq are staying, I duck into a dark alleyway and peek around the corner.

I watch as the trader walks around towards the back and makes eye contact with the two guards. "She's in here." He whispers. He turns to knock on the little doors in the back as the guards position themselves behind it and hold their weapons ready. "It's safe." The trader says with a smirk. "You can come out now."

He waits and once he gets no response, he motions to the guards. One of them flings the doors open and push things around. "She's not in here!"

The smug expression that was on the trader's face falls as he looks in the carriage. I smile to myself as his face grows pale. "I swear she was in there!"

Now the guards have turned against him. "You're under arrest for lying to the King's guard." One of them says.

He shouts about his innocents and curses me as they haul him away through the now crowded streets.

With the traitor now being possibly sent to Nottingham, I turn on my heel and begin to make my way towards the Inn.

* * *

I knock on the door and wait, looking around me every few seconds. The door opens and I see a surprised Will.

"Eva?" He says. He puts his dagger he had hidden in his sleeve back on his belt as he lets me in.

"Will, is Is—" I begin to say before I spot Isaac and Djaq further in the room.

"Isaac!" I exclaim, brushing past Will. I feel relief flood through me. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Djaq and Isaac both sheath their weapons. "I'm fine." Isaac says. "But Sabine and Theo might not be. Gisborne has their home and shop guarded at all times." He pauses for a moment. "While I'm glad to see you, why are you here? We never haven't been able to send for help."

I feel everybody's gazes on me. "Well, there's been a change of plans." I start, choosing my words carefully. "I've been able to book passage on a ship up in Grimsby and we need to leave immediately."

"No."

I'm startled by his defiance for a moment. "No?"

He shakes his head. "I'm not going anywhere until I know that Sabine and Theo are safe."

I frown. "But Isaac, we have an opening to go to Scotland—"

"Forget Scotland!" He exclaims. My eyes widen as I see his eyes narrow at me and his hands clench into fists at his side. "Can you just for one bloody moment think about somebody else besides yourself?!" he fumes. He points off in the direction of the blacksmith shop. "It's because of us that they're in danger!"

"Isaac—" I begin to say but am cut off.

"Actually, if I'm being completely honest, it's your fault that they're in danger."

"My fault?"  
"Yes, your fault." He seethes. "If it wasn't for your careless surprise visit, this never would have happened. You knew you were being hunted and yet you came here anyways!" he shakes his head. "You should know better than anyone that the King would have spies everywhere. You should have known that if spotted, those associated with us would be put in danger."

I hang my head like a scorned child. "I'm Isaac."

"Isaac, you may want to lower your voice." Will says from the window. As he says this Will motions towards the street. We exchange a glance and we see Will frown. "We need to leave"

"How come?" Djaq asks. Will turns away from the window.

"Because the innkeeper just alerted the guards about the commotion. They're on their way."


	9. Forced Goodbyes

"Out the window."

All three heads turn towards me as I speak. In a moment, Will fully opens the window and looks down.

"What about the guards?" Isaac asks. "Climbing out the window will only alert them of our presence and give them an opportunity to shoot at us."

"Not if they have somebody far more valuable to deflect their attention."

His brows knit together as it takes him a moment to understand before he shakes his head. "No. You're not going to run out there!"

"Isaac— "

"No!" He exclaims. "If you get caught, you'll be killed or tortured, then killed."

"I hate to break this up but we're running out of time." Will points out.

I turn my attention to Isaac. "Isaac, I need you to trust me. I have a plan."

"And that is?" Will presses.

I turn to him. "On the next street over, there's an enclosed trader's cart. I'll create a distraction while you and Djaq get the cart and try to get close to the Theo's shop." I turn back to Isaac. "While they get the cart, I'll need you to meet me in the forest near the shop. I'll lose the guards and meet you there. Understand?"

He's about to argue when we hear heavy footsteps loudly making their way up the stairs. "Go!" I hiss, pushing him towards the window. "I'll see you soon."

As they climb out the window, I get an idea and quickly dig through my pack. Finding the vial I need, I smile to myself and place it on the table nearby. I use my dagger to cut a strip from the worn blanket covering the bed and quickly tie it to the end of one of my arrows.

The footsteps grow closer and I throw the vial of substance that Edric made. It shatters, spilling liquid and glass all over the floor near the door as it bursts open. Noticing me, they draw their swords. "Halt!"

The head guardsman steps forward, one boot in the liquid pooled at the doorway. "By order of the crown, you are under arrest."

"I don't think so." I smirk. Igniting the tip of my arrow in the torch on the wall, I draw back on my bow and shoot my flaming arrow into the puddle. The puddle erupts in flames and the guard's uniform catches fire. While he moves wildly about trying to extinguish himself, I quickly glance around the room. I need something to buy me more time to escape out the window since I know the fire in the doorway won't hold them out for long.

From the corner of my eye, I see the torch on the wall and reach for it. Removing it from the holder on the wall, I use it to set anything I could find on fire including the worn blanket on the bed, curtains and even some old books that had been left behind. Anything that would cause enough smoke to fill the tiny room so I can make my escape.

As the smoke thickened, I put my bow across my torso, pull my shroud over my nose and mouth and feel my way towards the window. My eyes begin to water and my lungs feel like they were on fire. For a brief moment, panic grips at me like a vice.

Alas, I find the window and push it open. A gust of fresh air sweeps over me as I crawl out the window, coughing as I did so. I'm almost fully out when I feel a hand latch onto my leg and attempt to pull me back inside the smoke filled room. Turning over, I frantically kick at my attacker. I make contact and moments later heard the soft thud of metal hitting the floor over the sound of the flames and coughing coming from inside. Assuming I kicked off their helmet, I went for another kick but miss.

My hands shake as I reach for the dagger on my belt. I pull myself up just as my assailant's face emerges from the smoke pouring out the window. He lets out a cough right as I plunge my blade into his neck. His eyes widen as he releases my leg and his hands fly up to cover his wound. while he's distracted, I kick him backwards into the room.

Unfortunately, with the force I used to push the guard, I fall back as well and tumble down the roof and try to grab it near the end. I grasp at it but my fingers slip and I fall back onto a pile of barrels. When I finally reach the ground, I struggle to draw a breath as I feel as though all the air was expelled from my body. A few minutes pass before I am able to catch my breath and I use what's left of my strength to rise to my feet.

Using one of the barrels next to me, I use it for support and quickly look around me. Townspeople are running all over the place in a panicked frenzy. Some are coming towards the Inn with buckets of water from the well while most are running away from the fire and yelling to warn others. Keeping an eye out for guards, I run along with those escaping the area.

With the fire and fleeing people distracting most of the guards, I'm able to make a beeline towards the forest and duck inside. For fear that I was seen, I keep running. with every other inhale, I coughed and coughed to the point that I felt I might collapse. Looking around me, I skid into a small opening in the base of a tree. My heart is beating so hard that I feel a pulsing in my ears. A few moments pass before I allow myself to let out deep breathes between coughs.

Once I'm breathing normally once more, I peek out from my hiding spot and start off in the direction of Theo's shop.

* * *

When I find Isaac, he's a bit away from the border of the town, nervously pacing. His eyes are cast downward and his arms are crossed over his chest. Sensing my presence, he pauses and looks up at me. I watch as his expression shows relief and then a flash of confusion as he takes in my appearance.

"I set a fire in the room." I say to fill the silence. "It was the only way I could get out."

He nods. "I figured as much." He motions towards the town. "I heard the commotion."

"Has Will and Djaq gotten the cart yet? Have you seen them?"

He nods again. "They're two buildings down from the shop. They didn't want to risk getting too close."

I'm about to speak but he beats me to it. "What are we going to do about Theo and Sabine?"

"With most of the guards dealing with the fire and townspeople, we'll sneak in using the back. It'll take some effort but we'll carry Theo out and put him in the back of the cart. Then Will will drive the cart back towards the Sanctuary."

"The Sanctuary? Is Dyota okay with this?"

I frown. "Isaac, do we really have any choice? The Sanctuary is the safest place in England for them right now. I'm sure that Dyota will understand."

"But they're townsfolk." He points out. "Robin and his gang I can understand since, like us, they're wanted and need a place to hide out. But townsfolk…"

I put up my hand to stop him. "Isaac, we don't have time to argue right now. We need to get them and get out of here, now. Are you ready?"

He purses his lips before letting out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. Let's do this."

We start walking towards the town and I try to lighten the mood. "Well, at least you decided to court a woman whose father's shop is close to the forest. Can you imagine if we had to break them out from the center of town?" I offer him a smile but falter when I see the stony express on his face. Approaching the trees bordering the town, we crouch down among the bushes and scope out the back of the shop.

"Shit." Isaac mutters. "Gisborne must have upped the amount of guards since I left." He motions to the two guards near the door. "when I was there, there was only guards near the front.

I start to remove my bow from around me and ready an arrow. "I'll take the left and you take the right."

I wait for a moment as Isaac readies his bow. I shoot the one on the left right in the heart and Isaac takes down the other one before he has a chance to look at his fallen companion.

Isaac starts to walk towards the shop when I hold out my arm to top him. He gives me a confused look before I quickly retrieve an arrow from my quiver and shoot up into tree nearby. We hear a pained cry as the man falls to the ground.

"Never forget that they know what we are." I remind him. "They wouldn't put just 2 guards in plain sight." I glance around once more before we stand up. "I have an idea. Help me drag these guys into the brush. We need their uniforms."

* * *

After dragging the dead guards into the forest, I stand near one's feet and examine them.

"Don't tell me you're admiring your handiwork right now." He says, impatiently. "If you don't remember, we have people to save."

I cast him an annoyed glance. "I'm fully aware of that. If we want to get out of here with the cart, we'll need to be disguised as guards. Therefore, we should have uniforms that fit properly. Otherwise they'll get suspicious." I look up at him. "Since Will will need to drive the cart, he'll need a uniform. Go tell him to bring the cart closer to the shop then bring him here. Djaq can go help Sabine pack what she and Theo needs. Nodding, he runs off and I turn my attention back to the guards.

As I wait for Isaac to return with Will, I search the guards for any money or other belongings that can be sent back to the Sanctuary.

Hearing footsteps approaching, I quickly put the purse I took from the body I was searching in my boot and stand to greet them.

"We need to put on their uniforms. Otherwise—" I start to explain but stop as Will holds up his hand.

"I know. Isaac filled me in on the way. Let's hurry."

The three of us quickly strip the guards of their uniforms and put them on over our clothes before heading towards the back door. Isaac tries to open the door only to find it curses under his breath. "Djaq must have locked it when she went inside."

"It's no problem. We'll just get their attention." I say. I pick up some pebbles near the tree line and start to throw them at the windows above. One of the windows open slightly and Will gives a low whistle. Moments later, the lock clicks and we rush inside.

As we get up the stairs,from behind Isaac, I hear Sabine give a small surprised gasp.

"Shhh!" He says, quickly removing the guard helmet. "Calm down, my love. It's just Eva, Will and I. We need to get you out of here."

"But my father." She frowns.

"We'll get him." He reassures her. "Hurry up and grab your things and get in the cart out back."

She nods and runs into the other room while the three of us join Djaq in Theo's room. As he was the last time I saw him, the old man is lying in bed, sound asleep with a strained expression on his dreaming face as though he's in the middle of a nightmare.

"Is he well enough to walk?" I ask, glancing at Djaq.

Frowning, she shakes her head. "He can barely sit up. We'll have to take him while he's lying down." She glances about the room. "Everybody take an end of the blanket under him. We'll lift him on 3 and carefully carry him down the steps and into the cart."

"Are you sure that'll work?" Isaac asks. "With him asleep, he'll be dead weight."

"Do you have any other ideas?" She snaps.

"Let's just do as Djaq says." I say, grabbing a blanket corner. "Come on."

It takes a while and we almost drop him numerous times but somehow we get him down the stairs and begin to load him into the cart with Djaq and Sabine helping from inside.

"Isaac, don't forget your helmet." I remind him. Once the doors are shut, Isaac runs into the house to grab his helmet that he set aside just as another guard walks around the back. "Hey!" He calls to Will and I. "What's with the cart?"

I nudge Will to speak. "Tell him it's the cart we confiscated from the trader that was hauled off to Nottingham." I whisper.

"We have orders from Gisborne to take it to Nottingham." Will says. "It was confiscated from a trader earlier who was hauled off."

"I see." He says. He turns as Isaac exits the back door of the house. "What about you?" he calls. "Why were you in there? Sir Guy said nobody was to enter the house."

"I was checking on the prisoners." He says. "They were quiet so I wanted to make sure they didn't escape or something."

The guard grins. "Oh, checking up on? I saw that girl that lives there. Slipping in to get something from her weren't ya?"

I glance nervously at Isaac after this comment but surprisingly he grins.

"Of course. Wouldn't you?"

The guard laughs. "She's a fiery little one, that one." He looks away. "Well, don't slip away too often. Sir Guy is supposed to come question her again soon and you wouldn't want to be caught being gone from your post."

Isaac thanks him and waits until he saunters off before he mutters under his breath. "Bastard."

I take this moment to turn to Will. "You and Isaac can go ahead and jump up front. I'll ride in back with others."

They head towards the front of the cart and I open the back. Theo is sleeping on the carpeted floor of the cart while Sabine and Djaq sit on chests on either side of him. I quickly climb it and carefully make my way towards the front near the slits and the weapons we had stashed before putting on the guard uniforms. Once the doors of the cart are shut once more, I tap on the wall behind Will and tell him to go.

* * *

We make it out of Worksop easily- which is surprising. Only once near the road leading out of the town did we get stopped. Will gave the story he told about the trader that he told the other guard earlier. This time the guard seemed a bit suspicious but let us pass regardless. After we were away from the guards, I told Will to head towards Southwell.

It was a long journey and Sabine has fallen asleep leaning on some bolts of fabric.

A few miles away from Southwell, I tell Will to slow the cart. I see through the slits as Isaac turns to give Will a confused look "Why are we stopping? The sanctuary is still a while from here."

"I told him to." I say. As the cart slows to a stop, I carefully exit the cart and stretch before closing the doors andwalking up near the front.

"I know we're still a ways away." I say, solemnly. "But this is where we must part ways. Will and Djaq will continue to the Sanctuary and will explain the situation to Dyota. She'll make sure Sabine and Theo are well taken care of while we're gone."

"That's it?" he fumes, jumping down from his seat. "After everything that just happened, we're just going to leave them?"

"Isaac…"

"No." He retorts. "This is exactly what I was talking about at the Inn. You're so caught up in your own life that you couldn't care less about others."

Exiting the cart, Sabine joins us and I look away. From the corner of my eye, I notice her laying a hand on his shoulder. "Isaac, There's no reason to be so harsh…"

"No, he has every right to be cross with me." I frown.

"No, he doesn't." She frowns. She turns to look at Isaac. "My love, if it wasn't for Eva coming to our rescue, who knows what would have happened to us. We should be thanking her."

"We wouldn't have needed saving had it not been for her carelessness during her visit." He mutters. He glares at me. "You're never satisfied with ruining your own life. You always have to destroy any hope of happiness for everybody else."

"Isaac!" Sabine gasps but he continues, taking a step towards me.

"In the past few months, I was happier than I've been in years, yet, here you are disrupting my happiness to chase after your past."

My expression remained unchanged but deep down, I felt the urge to cry. His words, like Robin's, cut me like a searing hot knife to the heart.

"I'm sorry." I mutter. "If you would prefer, you can ride with them back to the Sanctuary and remain there while I go to Scotland. It is my mission after all."

He shakes his head. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Don't spin it to make me feel guilty. You know I need to go with you to make sure you're safe." He expression softens slight. "Please. Let's just all go back to the Sanctuary— all of us— and we'll take our time to prepare."

I shake my head. "I can't."

"Why not?" He asks. "I'm pretty sure Robin— "

"Robin and I are finished!" I blurt out. As soon as I said it, I wished I could take it back. I couldn't take the sympathetic and confused expression staring at me.

"What?" Isaac breathes. "Why?"

I shake my head. "It doesn't matter." Clenching my jaw, I look him in the eye. "I just can't go back right now. I'm going to Scotland, with or without you. If you're coming along, I'll give you time to say your goodbyes. If not, this is where I leave you. You choose."

Just seeing at the look on his face, I could feel my heart break. I hated to make him choose but, selfish or not, I needed to leave England for a while.

Reluctant, he slowly turns to Sabine and takes her hand. His thumb moves over the back of her hand as he lets out a shaky breath. "Well, my love. It looks like we will be apart for a while."

She nods. "While I understand, I will miss you."

He nods. "And I, you. I promise you that you will be safe with the gang while I'm gone and I will write you as often as I can."

A tear rolls down her cheek and Isaac cups her jaw- using his thumb to wipe it away as he looks into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." They share in a kiss and I look away.

I walk over to stand with Will as Isaac walks with Sabine to say goodbye to Theo. As I wait, Will nudges me.

"I'm sorry to hear about you and Robin." He says. "I hope that whenever you return, you two can talk things out. You two are good for one another."

I give him a small smile. "Thank you, Will. Honestly, I don't know what the future hold for us or even if we have a future. Words were said that can't be taken back and hearts were broken. After we split up, I removed my tag and left the gang." I shrug. "If you guys are still here when I return, we'll see what happens."

He grins. "Looking forward to it."

When Isaac finally returns, he looks like a man who has been drained. His usual youthful face looks ragged with worry and defeat. He walks toward me. "I'm ready."

I give him a small nod before giving Will a hug. "Take care of everybody while I'm gone." I say. "And explain to Dyota— "

"I know." He smiles. "Be safe out there."

The tears threaten to fall but I fake a smile. "You too. I'll write Dyota whenever I get a chance."

We wait as Will climbs up in front once more and Sabine rejoins Djaq and her father in the back of the cart. She and Isaac exchange one more longing glance before the doors are closed and we watch them ride out of sight. Once they have disappeared among the trees, we turn around and start off in the opposite direction.


	10. Missed Opportunity

Guy smiles to himself as he rides at a leisurely pace. His thoughts are filled with various scenarios involving Eva's capture. His favorite scenario was of him trapping her in a room. He'd give her another chance to redeem herself to him and offer her to marry him and be spared for her betrayal. However,unlike in the past, she would finally realize that she's been misleading herself. She'd see this kind gesture as a symbol of his affection and realize there's more worth exploring between them and agree.

The very thought of carrying her to their marriage bed conjured up his dream, making him smirk.

At that moment, he's jolted from his daydreams as one of his guards rushes up to him. Behind him, he sees people fleeing the are, screaming. "What is going on? What's happened here?" He demands.

"Sir Guy, it's the assassin!" The guard begins.

"Spit it out!" Guy snaps.

"The assassin woman we've been trying to catch was here but she set a fire in the Inn, killed some of our men and fled."

"You idiots." He growls. "Gather what men we have left and scour the forest. Leave no stone unturned! I want Eva found!"

The guard nods and runs off to do as he's told while Guy rides furiously in the direction of the Inn to help extinguish the fire and survey the damage. Anything he can do to prolong the inevitable wrath of the Sheriff.

* * *

We walk in silence for hours as the sun begins setting behind us. I sneak a glance over at Isaac and let out a defeated sigh.

"I know you're mad at me but can you at least say something? Even if you must yell— "

"I never got to tell her." He cuts me off, never taking his eyes off the path ahead.

My brow knits in confusion. "What are you talking about? Told who about what?"

"Sabine. I never told her about us or our life." He glances at me. "She doesn't know about the Sanctuary or about the Hunters."

As soon as he spoke these words, his reluctance earlier began to make sense. "Is that why you were so reluctant about sending her to the Sanctuary?" I ask.

He nods. "I know it's the safest place for her right now but I wanted to be there for her when she arrived and tell her everything; About the reason we were in forest that night and killed those men and the truth about why we showed up to her father's shop and about who and what I really am."

"I didn't know that you never told her…" I frown. "I thought she knew about us by now. Besides, with Robin and the gang staying there, she won't see anything upsetting."

He stops. "Eva, we have a room specifically for torturing people. Can you even imagine how frightening and confusing that will be?"

"Yes, but it hasn't been used in at least a year." I jest, receiving an annoyed glance. I touch his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry yourself about it. Dyota will make sure she is taken care of."

"But I wanted to be the one to explain everything and not leave her to wonder like William did to you! "

As he says this, he notices my pained expression. "I'm sorry… that was out of line." He says, softly.

Letting my hand fall from his shoulder, I bow my head. "No, you're right. I can only imagine how scared she'll feel in a new and strange place." I turn to continue walking and he follows. "I wish you could be with her right now. She deserves to hear it all from your lips rather than from strangers." As I say this, an uncomfortable silence falls between us.

"So what happened between you and Robin?" He asks after a while.

"When I went back, I told him of my plan to go to Scotland." I begin.

"I'm guessing he didn't take it well."

I shake my head. "No, he didn't. He was mad that I wanted to go at a time like this." I pause for a moment. "We got into a fight about why I was leaving then he ordered me to stay."

He raises an eyebrow. "He ordered you?" he asks. "He was aware of whom he was taking to, right?"

I give him a small grin. "He did. It made me so angry that I ripped off my tag, threw it on the ground and told him I quit the gang before storming off." I glance down at the ground. "I haven't been back since."

"So that's it? You two are suddenly finished because of some heated words?"

I stop once more to look at him. "They weren't just words to me, Isaac. Aside from wanting to learn William's past, I wanted to finally get the closure I need to move on. I was doing this, not only for myself but for Robin as well. So we could finally move on with our lives to be together without my constant thoughts about 'what if'." Feeling the angry tears threaten to form, I shook my head. "We should keep going. We still have a way to go before Grimsby."

We begin to walk once more. "So if you haven't been back since, where have you been the past few days?"

I shrug. "Since storming out, I decided to ride to Grimsby in hopes of stealing a map or at least arranging our passage to Scotland. Luckily, an old friend of mine was at the ale house and I convinced him to take us to Scotland."

He eyes me skeptically. "Just like that?" He asks. "Did you pay him upfront or did you just bat your eyelashes at him to get him to do your bidding?" He smirks at me and I give him a nudge.

"It's not like that." I chuckle. "He's an old friend of both William and I."

"He knew William?"

I nod. "He and William knew each other before we met. I met him during a contract when Will and I tried to sneak onto his ship." I smile to myself at the memory. "I told him of Delvin's betrayal and Will's letter. He was a bit reluctant at first but in the end, he agreed and wanted to leave immediately. I told him I couldn't since I still had to go get you."

"I'm surprised you waited." He chuckles before becoming serious once more. "So that's why you came back to Worksop so soon."

"It is." I nod. "Otherwise I would have waited."

He lets out a humorless laugh. "Good thing you didn't." He looks at me. "Sabine was right. If it wasn't for you returning when you did, who knows what would have happened. Thanks for that."

"Don't thank me." I shake my head. "As you said, if it hadn't been for my careless behavior, you wouldn't have been put in danger in the first place." I look down at the ground before shaking my head. "I should thank you for not just killing me then and there." I say, attempting to lighten the mood.

"The thought did cross my mind." He jests, offering a grin.

I return his smile but deep down, I knew I had let him down. Not only put his life in danger but I also put the life of the woman he loved and her father at risk. If it was just him, it would be easier to forgive but threatening the love of his life was a more serious offense.

I knew it was foolish to haphazardly ride to Worksop without proper planning and cautious. I wish I could explain what has going on in my head but I'm not entirely sure that I understand it myself.

For months, it was like I was living in a dream. I was so happy and content spending my time in the Sanctuary, shielded from the dangers that loomed outside. During the day, I spent time getting to know and bond with my fellow outlaws and sharpening my skills in preparation for my next run in with Delvin. I always looked forward to after dinner when Robin and I would sneak away to our grotto. It was during that time that, as cliché as it sounds, it felt like we were the only two people in the world and nothing else mattered. For the first time in years, I was at peace—at least I was until I found Will's letter.

Reading that letter that had gone unopened for three years, it felt like my perfect world had shattered. The grief and anger consumed me once more like the night he had been killed. I felt myself living in silent desperation, hoping for any distraction regardless of the risk. Just the idea of knowing that the answers to the questions that plagued me were out there was enough to drive me insane. It didn't matter that I was being hunted by the Black Knights or King John's men. I was a woman obsessed and the only thing that would cure me is in Scotland.

* * *

Robin pulls back on his bow as he lines up his shot on the training target before him. He inhales and begins to release when his concentration is interrupted by Allan.

"Robin." He says.

Robin's arrow releases and sticks into the wooden rack behind the target making him curse under his breath. "What is it, Allan?" He asks wearily as he turns to look at him.

"Will and Djaq are back."

Robin leans on his bow slightly. "Is Theo getting better?"

"I don't know." Allan shrugs. "I'm not being funny, but I think it might be serious since they've only spoken to Dyota so far."

Robin frowns. "Is everyone alright? Is Eva or Isaac with them?"

"I didn't see them. Have you seen John? Dyota asked me to fetch him but I can never find anybody in this bloody place."

Robin chuckles. "Last time I saw John he was in the dining hall with Edric and Much and helping prepare dinner." Robin says, placing his bow next to the target. "Where are they?"

"Study entrance."

As Allan stalks away in search of John, Robin makes his way towards the study. Once he arrives, he finds only Will—whom is dressed in guard's armor— and Dyota talking with one another. It takes a moment for them to notice him.

"Welcome back, Will." He greets. "Allan told me of your return."

Will frowns. "As I was just telling Dyota, we had little choice."

Glancing at Dyota's solemn expression, he frowns. "What's happened?"

"As we feared, it seems that Gisborne's men knew of Eva's spontaneous visit to Worksop and stationed guards in and around the town including guarding the blacksmith shop where Isaac was staying." She explains. "From what Will has told me, after leaving here, Eva went back to Worksop and found Isaac, Djaq and Will at the Inn. An argument broke out between Eva and Isaac which alerted the guards."

Robin shakes his head. "I knew it wasn't safe for her to go!" He lets out a frustrated sigh. "Then what happened?"

Dyota exchanges a glance with Will.

"Since we were trapped in our room at the Inn, Eva told us to escape out the window while she stayed behind."

Robin waits anxiously. "Did she escape?"

"She did." Dyota reassures him. "She managed to escape by setting the room on fire and escaping out the window. From there, they met up near Theo's shop, took some guards' uniforms then helped Sabine and her father escape."

Stealing a glance toward the banner, Robin turns his attention to Will. "Are they alright? Theo and his daughter?"

"They're fine." Will nods. "Sabine is a bit shaken up and Theo is unconscious."

"Did Isaac and Eva return with you as well?" He asks. He frowns as Will shakes his head.

"No. They rode half way with us then departed."

"Do you have any idea where they're heading?" Dyota asks.

"She said that she was able to book passage in Grimsby."

Hearing this, she smiles as she turns her attention to Robin. "If she is with Leiv, I can assure you that she is in safe. Leiv has been a trusted ally to the Hunters for years, thanks to William."

As Allan returns with John, Dyota disappears behind the banner to open the door leading into the cave. When she reappears, she motions for the others to head through and waits until they're gone before turning to Robin.

"I know this how you wanted things to be but we at least know that Eva will be safe. With that worry out of our heads, we can focus on the current situation."

Robin rolls his shoulders back, nodding. "You're right. Let's welcome our newest guests."


	11. Mistrust

**_A/N: Hello everyone! For those who like reading my stories, it is known that I am terrible at updating. For those who don't know, I am a full-time college student so most of my time is usually spent with my schooling. During a typical school week, I have very little free time so writing is rare. However, you will notice that (shockingly) I have updated more than once recently! This is mostly because before I can get to the bigger events, I have a lot of filler stuff that needs to happen. Hopefully, these filler chapters are fairly interesting and don't bore you all to tears. I promise that there is a lot of interesting stuff is coming up!_**

 ** _Anyways, thank you all who continue to read and a special thank you to those who also review. I love reading what you guys like and dislike. It makes writing so much easier. So keep it up! Enjoy! :)_**

* * *

Taking as little breaks as possible, it takes us a day and a half before we reach Grimsby. Wearily, we make our way towards the quayside.

"What if your friend is no longer here?" Isaac ask, grumpy from his lack of sleep. "What if he got tired of waiting?"

"He'll be there." I say, confidently but admittedly, deep down I felt a glimpse of worry. "I Know Leiv and he's a man of his word."

"That's unusual for a pirate." He mutters.

Ignoring him, I keep an eye out for Leiv's ship, silently hoping that Isaac is wrong. Relief floods through me as I finally spot it and point it out. "Ah! See? There it is as I said."

We climb the ramp to the main deck and I scan the area for any sign of Leiv when I hear a voice behind us. "You've returned."

Turning, we see Leiv as he climbed up the ramp and stops before us. "Did you doubt that I would?" I smile. "Leiv, this is my apprentice whom I was telling you about. Now that we're here, we can set sail."

His eyes flicker towards Isaac before looking back at me. "Unfortunately, we cannot leave just yet."

I frown. "Why not? Please don't tell me you've changed your mind." Isaac scoffs but I ignore him.

"No, nothing like that. I wasn't sure if or when you'd return so I allowed my men to enjoy the pleasures of Grimsby a while longer." He grins. "I'm afraid that half my crew is now passed out drunk below deck."

"Typical." I hear Isaac mutter before shooting him a glare. Sighing, I turn my attention to Leiv. "How long must we wait?"

"They should be fine by morning."

"Wonderful." Isaac replies, sarcastically. "In the meantime, I think we should head over to the Inn we passed on our way through town. We can get some food and much needed sleep before tomorrow."

"Actually," Leiv interjects. "If Eva here doesn't mind, I was hoping to discuss our upcoming journey."

"Of course." I smile, turning to Isaac. "Go on ahead. I'll meet you there shortly."

Casting a distrustful glance at Leiv, he frowns. "Very well. Don't take too long."

As Isaac descends back down the ramp, I follow Leiv back to his quarters. "So what would you like to discuss?" I ask, as he closes the door behind me.

"Well, while you were off retrieving your apprentice I was looking over some maps to decide the best course." He walks over toward his shelf full of maps and pulls one out. "You are aware that it would be faster and easier to travel over land, right?"

"I am but I find the fact that I am currently being hunted by the King of England and his allies, it seemed safer to travel by sea." I frown. "Leiv, you know I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't necessary."

He nods. "Very well." Striding across the room, he rolls out his map on his table and motions me over. "As I'm sure you are aware, William's family is from Galloway in southwest region. It is there where his brother, Alastair, currently resides as Duke of Galloway."

"That's about the extent of my knowledge." I nod.

He points to an area on the map. "From here, I believe the best course would be to sail up the eastern coast of England, around the tip of Northern Scotland then down the western coast to Whitehaven."

"Sounds like quite a long journey." I frown. "About how long do you think it'll take?"

Looking down at the map he sighs. "With luck and fair weather, it could take a few weeks. The North Sea is known to be treacherous. Storms or strong winds can easily push us off course which will add time to our journey. Worst comes to wear, it could be a month or two before we reach Whitehaven."

I nod as I try to process this. The amount of time and risk involved was not ideal but it would have to do.

"I hope your apprentice will be prepared. He seemed a bit angry when we met."

"He means well. It's just…." I pause as he looks up at me expectantly.

"Just what?"

I feel the heat rise to my cheeks. "He doesn't care for Northmen or pirates very much."

Leiv grins. "And to his displeasure, I'm both." He straightens and leans back against his table. "Just be sure that he keeps his anger in check. I don't want to have to dunk him in the sea because he couldn't respect the captain. King Richard might be dead but on my ship, we still follow his law for those at sea."

"I'll warn him." I chuckle, heading towards the door. "I better get going to the Inn. I'm sure he's growing impatient with me." I smile at him as he watches me. "See you in the morning."

"Goodnight Eva." He says, returning my smile. "See you in the morning."

* * *

That night after we ate, we took turns sleeping while the other stood guard. It was my turn to stand guard until morning and thoughts bounced around from the journey ahead to Robin. Our time together was over but there were things I was going to miss.

Just now, sitting in the darkness, I longed to hear his soft breathing that I had grown so used to during our nights together. I missed the feel of his gentle touch as he caressed my cheek. I touch my cheek as I feel the tears begin to well up before I wipe them away. I take a deep breath as I hear chirping not far from the window. Nothing good will come of crying over something that is over. I must concentrate on the journey ahead.

Standing from my seat, I walk over to the bed and sit on the edge. "Isaac." I say, touching his shoulder.

He jolts and raises his hand with his dagger ready. Seeing me, he relaxes. "Is it really morning already?." He mutters.

"It is. If you wish to eat, you may. I'm going to go check in with Leiv to see how his crew is faring."

"You're awfully eager to go see him again." He says, sitting up.

"If you didn't already have a woman, I'd swear you had feelings for me." I jest, offering him a smile. "You sound more like a jealous lover than a concerned friend."

"I may have a woman but you also have a man waiting for you back in Southwell."

My smile falls. "Isaac, I told you. Robin and I are finished. Drop it."

Yawning, he shakes his head. "I don't believe you." His gaze matches mine. "You two had a lover's quarrel over misspoken words. That is hardly something that can destroy what you two have."

"Had." I correct.

"Have. I know you two will get past this. Maybe this time apart will do you two some good. After all you have been shut in the Sanctuary for months. It's common for people to get irritated with one another after spending every day together."

"Kind of like how you're getting on my nerves now." I roll my eyes. "Just get ready and meet me at the ship."

I stand and begin walking towards the door. Opening it, I pause and look back at him. "And remember what I said. Be on your best behavior and don't do anything stupid. Understand?"

"Yes, mother." He smirks. I roll my eyes once again and exit the room, closing the door behind me.

* * *

By the time Isaac arrives, the crew is ready to set sail and we pull out from the port. With Isaac by my side, I watch as we depart from England. "This is it." I say, more to myself than to him. "There's no going back from this now."

"No, there's not." He agrees, frowning. "I just hope that this doesn't turn out to be a mistake."

As he says this, I turn to look at him. I watch as he stares back at our homeland with such a look of sadness and uncertainty that I find myself grabbing his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. He looks down at our hands then up at me. "Everything will be all right. Sabine will be safe while we're gone. I promise." I say.

Squeezing my hand gently, he lets his hand fall to his side. "I hope you're right."


	12. Just A Kiss

**Day 3**

Our journey to Scotland had begun and Isaac has rarely left my side for fear that Leiv would suddenly ruin whatever chances he believed that Robin and I would get back together. With the way he's been acting, I was unsure if he thought Leiv would kill me or bed me.

You'd think that with Isaac being so attentive I'd feel smothered or at least comforted but instead I felt more alone than I had anticipated. In the beginning, I hoped that having him as my companion, I would be distracted by the thoughts that plagued me every waking moment. Whether it was my yearning for affection that I had grown so used to in the past months with Robin or answers I so desperately craved about William and his past.

It's a quiet night as I lean against the railing. The sky is clear and dotted with stars while the full moon reflects across the waves. Isaac, whom always hungry, left me to go below deck to find something suitable to eat. He was reluctant to leave me on the deck by myself but I assured him I would be fine.

Looking out at the water, I subconsciously twist my wedding ring around my finger. My thoughts had once again drifted to my last night with William. The memory replayed before me in the water.

"It's beautiful! Where did you get it?" I hear myself say as I admired the amulet he had just given me.  
"Let's just call it a…wedding present." William chuckles. I watch as my arms wrap around his neck and I run my hand through the hair on the back of his head before pressing my lips against his. His arms encircle me as he kisses back before I pull away for a moment. "Help me put it on." I whisper.  
"Of course." He smiles. I hand the amulet to him and turn around, holding my hair up as he drapes it around my neck and fumbles with the clasp. After fastening the necklace, his fingertips graze over my shoulders. I watch as his hands slide the fabric off my shoulders and gently kisses the base of my neck and slowly move down my shoulder to my upper back. I turned around to face him and pull him into a kiss. The image fades to where we're lying together beneath the blankets. He holds me close while gently raking his fingertips up over my arm as I let out a content sigh. "I wish every night was like this…" I whisper into the darkness in unison with the memory.

"Eva?"

The vision fades as I am brought out of my trance to look at Leiv.

"Leiv!" I gasp. Realizing I had been tearing up, I turn away from him to wipe my eyes. "I thought you had turned in for the night."

"Not yet. I figured I'd come outside for some air." He says as he stands beside me. Feeling his gaze, I blush with embarrassment. "Are you all right?" He asks softly.

Once I've dried my eyes, I turn to look at him with a fake smile plastered on my face. "Yes. Just thinking of the past."

"I take it you're thinking about William."

I nod. "I am. You've always had a way of reading my mind."

He smiles. "It's not very hard to guess. I know how much you loved him. It's a shame what happened."

"It is." I nod, trying to keep the tears at bay. "You'd think that in the years that have passed, I'd at least be able to think about him without crying." I give a small, self-conscious laugh.

"It'll take time." He says, softly. "Hopefully whatever you find in Scotland will help you through this difficult time. After all," He leans against the railing and shoots me a smile. "You know, I never like to see a beautiful woman cry."

Wiping the tears beginning to form, I chuckle. "Careful. You don't want to let Isaac hear you say that. He already thinks that you're plotting something."

"Does he? And what exactly would I be planning?" He chuckles. "Is he expecting me to whisk you away and force you to marry me?"

I feel the heat rise to my cheeks. A giggle escapes as I look away. "Probably."

"Well, regardless of what I am, you can assure him that I have no such plot." His hand brushes mine on the railing and I look down at it before looking at him.

"While I am technically whisking you away from your homeland, I would never force you to do anything." He says. As our eyes meet, he smiles. "Not that I could, even if I wanted to. You've never been one to take orders from people."

As he says this we both laugh. "No I haven't." I chuckle.

Self-conscious, I look away but feel his gaze on me. "There. That's better. I hate seeing you sad."

Turning to look at him I smile. "Thank you, Leiv. I needed that." He pulls me into a hug and I hold tightly onto him for a moment, allowing this one moment to comforted. For once in the past week, it finally felt like somebody understood me and what I was going through. The relief flooded through me and I felt myself begin to tear up out of happiness.

A rogue tear slides down my cheek as we begin to pull apart. Seeing it, Leiv smirks. "I thought we just talked about this." One arm still around me, he brings his other hand up to my cheek and bushes the tear away with his thumb before cupping my jaw. "No more crying." He whispers. His dark blue eyes peer into mine for a moment but I could feel my heart pace quicken. In a moment, he leans in and our lips meet. At first it was just a peck on the lips but turned into something more. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below my ear, his thumb caressing my cheek as our breaths mingled. The kiss obliterated every thought and, for the first time since my fight with Robin, my mind was locked into the present.

When we finally part, our eyes meet once more and we stand in a stunned silence. His hand remains on my back until we hear somebody from behind him impatiently clear his throat. We separate immediately as we both earn a glare from an annoyed looking Isaac.

"I was gone for ten minutes and come back to this? What just happened?" He asks. His glare lingers on Leiv and I step forward.

"I see you were able to scrounge up some food." I say, over my rapidly beating heart. "I hope eating at such an hour won't disrupt your sleep."

He says nothing for long time before he turns his direction to me. "You're right. Perhaps we should head to bed instead. It is getting late anyways."

"It is." I nod. "But what about your food?" I motion to the plate in his hand.

"Well, it is Leiv's ship," He thrusts the plate at Leiv as they lock gazes. "Here. Enjoy."

Remembering Leiv's warning about Isaac's anger, I glance at him and wait with baited breath to see if I need to intervene. To my surprise, he takes the food with a smile. "Thank you, Isaac. It's very kind of you."

"It was a very kind gesture." I say, nudging Isaac towards the stairs. "It's getting late so we should be heading to bed." Feeling Leiv's gaze on me, I blush. "Goodnight."

He nods. "Goodnight Eva." He says before glancing at Isaac. "Goodnight Isaac. Sleep well."

* * *

Once below deck, Isaac warns me yet again. He assures me that his constant supervision is to protect me in my vulnerable state but I hardly hear him. Instead, I'm thinking about the kiss.

I knew that it was a heat of the moment action but I must admit that it wasn't unwelcome. Regardless of our friendship, Leiv is a very attractive man both with his dirty blonde hair, dark blue eyes and roguish attitude.

"Eva. Are you even listening to me?"

Hearing my name, my attention snaps back to the present. "Yes. I heard you." I lie.

He lets out a weary sigh. "I just worry about you."

Resting a hand on his shoulder, I offer him a smile. "I know you do and I'm thankful." I notice how worn out he looks and frown. "Let's head to bed. If you want, we can play chess tomorrow. I saw some of Leiv's men playing the other day."

He grins. "I'd like that."

* * *

 **Day 5**

For the past two days, I made sure to stay away from Leiv to calm Isaac's suspicions. It wasn't until I saw a port coming into view before I spoke to him again. At the time, Isaac and I were playing a dice game that some of the men taught us the night before on deck. I look up and see the port we were heading towards and my brows knit in confusion. "Would you excuse me, Isaac. I need a word with our Captain."

He gives me an unsure look but I wave it off. "Don't worry. It has to do with our journey." I start towards the captain's quarters. Approaching, the door, I feel my heart pound as I knock. Moments pass before I hear a response. Taking a deep breath, I enter the room.

When I enter, Leiv is at his desk looking at what looks like a book. "I'm assuming we're pulling into Aberdeen port?" He asks without looking up.

"Aberdeen?" I ask. "As in Eastern Scotland, Aberdeen?"

Realizing I'm not one of his men, he looks up. "Eva." He says, surprised.

"Why are we stopping in Aberdeen? Has there been a change in plans?" I ask.

Standing, he walks around his desk and perches himself in front of it. "No. One of my men said they spotted some storm clouds in the distance. The North Sea is already hard to navigate without having to sail through a storm. It's too risky."

"I thought you liked risk?" I smirk.

He flashes me a roguish smile. "I do but given the precious cargo on board, I figured it wouldn't be wise." He sighs. "Besides, the men tend to get rowdy on long voyages and being that you're the only woman on board, it would also be wise to let them take their frustrations out by drinking or in the company of other women."

I nod. "While I am fully capable of holding my own, I appreciate it." I smile. As I say this, the kiss we shared comes back to mind. "Since I'm expressing my appreciation, I should also thank you for what you did the other night."

"Oh?" He smirks.

"Yes," I say quickly. "I've been feeling so down this past week that it was nice to have somebody genuinely make me laugh. Thank you."

"Ah." He says disappointed, looking down. "You're welcome." He glances up at me, with a smile. "I'm glad I could brighten your mood."

I nod. I turn to walk away but stop. "There's one more thing." I say, turning to look at him.

"And what's that? Is everything all right?"

"Yes." I smile. "I also wanted to discuss the kiss."

He nods. "I imagine that was why you've been avoiding since then. Am I right?"

I blush. "Sort of."

Sighing, he nods. "I'm sorry if I offended you. It was unintentional and in the heat of the moment…"

I shake my head. "You didn't offend me, Leiv. I only avoided you because of Isaac."

"Ah, yes." He grins. "Your watch dog hates me."

"He does but it's because he's protective of me."

"And because he hates Northmen and pirates, I know." he adds. "You told me." He stands up and steps toward me. My heart begins to race and he gives me another roguish smile. "Isaac's hatred aside, did you enjoy it?"

Our gaze locks and I feel my breath catch. "Did you?" I ask.

He smirks, taking another step forward and I step back slightly. "I asked first."

"I did."

Another step forward, and I back up once more so I can almost touch the bookcase behind me.

His hand reach up to touch my chin as his thumb gently grazes my lower lip. His eyes flicker to my lips then back. "Do you wish it'd happen again?"

This time it's my turn to smirk, "I do." I say. My heart is pounding in my chest. Everything about this feels forbidden which makes it that much more thrilling. "What are you waiting for?"

He steps forward and places his hand on the bookshelf near my head and begins to lean in just as there's a knock on the door. He lets out a frustrated sigh before letting a chuckle escape as he straightens and drops his hand. "What is it?" He calls, his eyes not leaving mine.

The door opens and one of his men enter. "We've arrived at the port, Captain." He says, his eyes flicking to me.

Leiv nods. "Thank you. Enjoy the pleasures of Aberdeen." He grins.

The man smiles and leaves us, closing the door behind him.

"I should probably get back to—" I begin to say before Leiv presses me back against the bookcase. Our lips meet as one hand grabs my waist, pulling me closer while the other cups my jaw. The kiss was far more intense than the last time and felt more urgent. It takes me a moment to register what's going on before I lean into it.

I'm reluctant to pull away but when I do, I feel breathless as I feel the adrenaline flowing through my veins. "I need to get back." I whisper. "I told Isaac I was just coming to discuss the journey. He'll get suspicious."

"Just a little longer." He says in a husky whisper as he his lips find mine once more. I kiss back but place a hand on his chest to stop him once more. "I need to go." I chuckle. I pull away so I can look at him. "I'll come back later tonight." I promise. "After Isaac is asleep."

He leans in and gives me a peck on the lips. "I can't wait." He smiles.

He straightens and I steal another peck on the lips before heading for the door. Shooting him a smile, I open the door and head back to Isaac.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hey everyone! I made two polls to gauge how you're feeling about the current pairings and who you think Eva should end up with. You can find them here (minus the spaces):**_

 _ **Favorite Pairing poll -**_ ** _www. quotev quiz/9285850/ Who-is-your-favorite-pairing-in-Vengeance-so-far_**

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 ** _Please vote! I love hearing from you guys! :)_**


	13. Secrets

**_A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry this update took a little longer. I hit a bit of a snag with one of the Robin scenes and just couldn't get it to work like I wanted. I'm still not entirely sure about it. Let me know what you think! Enjoy! :)_**

* * *

Isaac stands from his seat as I approach. "Well? What did you find out?"

"One of Leiv's men reported storm clouds so we're staying in Aberdeen until it passes." I say. "In the meantime, the men are free to do as they please in the town." I avert his eyes. "He also made a valid point that, being that I am the only woman on board, it's safer for them to take their frustrations out on drink and women in town during a long journey like this."

"That's a good idea." He nods. For a moment, he says nothing but I can feel his gaze. "You're flushed." He observes.

"Am I?" I ask, stupidly.

"Yes." He crosses his arms over his chest. "You talked to him about more than the voyage, didn't you? You brought up the kiss."

"Yes, I did." I admit, picking my words carefully. "I wanted to confirm that it was just a heat of the moment kiss, which it was."

"And?"

"And what?" I scoff. "What else could there possibly be to it? He was comforting me over the loss of my husband, we hugged and, as I said, in the heat of the moment, we kissed. It's not that big of a deal." I sit down on my side of the barrel we were using as a table and look up at him. "I'm tied to no man. Besides, we're both adults who shared a spontaneous kiss. It's not worth making a big deal over."

"You may think it was just a kiss but it can develop into more." He sighs. "Just, promise me that it won't happen again." He frowns. "You're already hurting over what happened with Robin. You can deny it all you want but I see it your eyes. You still love him." He sits back down. "I don't want to see you get involved with this guy, friends or not, while you're still so vulnerable. You'll just end up getting even more hurt."

"So you keep telling me." I mutter.

"Please, Eva. Promise me that this will go no further."

I sigh, as I look away. "Fine. I promise."

"Thank you." He smiles. "So, how about another game?"

I nod and he hands me my cup of dice. So much for my distraction.

* * *

Robin sat in the dining hall, peeling an apple while Much sharpened the ends of some arrows beside him.

"You know what would be tasty right now?" He says cheerfully. "Lamb. Just imagine how great lamb kababs would taste."

"We already have venison." Robin says, not looking up. "Use that."

Much pauses to look at his friend. "I understand that you're bored but you don't need to get snippy."

Setting his apple down, he sighs. "You're right, Much. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just on edge."

"You've been on edge all week." Much points out, irritably.

"I know but it's just that we haven't heard anything from Eva or Isaac since they left for Scotland. It'd be nice to at least know they're all right."

"Maybe it's for the best."

Robin glances at him. "What do you mean?"

Much shrugs. "You said they both quit the gang. Once it's safe enough for us to leave here, we can go our separate ways. The lads and us can head back to our normal lives in the forest and they can do what they please."

"Only Eva quit." Robin corrects. Abruptly, he stands up. "I'm going to get some air." He mutters. "If anybody asks, I'll be back later."

Much perks up. "Where are you going?" He asks.

"I'm going into the town to see if I can help with something." Robin replies. "Anything to get me out of here for a while." He's met with Much's concerned expression. "Don't worry, Much. I'll be back soon."

He turns away from his friend and begins making his way towards the forest entrance.

Once out of the Sanctuary, Robin inhales the fresh, spring air. Birds chirped happily in the trees above him as he takes a moment to check his surrounding before starting towards town. As he walked, he found a comfort in feeling the sun on his back once again and the gentle breeze that brought with it the smell of fresh baked goods from the small bakery near the edge of the town.

As he passes one of the cottages, he spots a man chopping wood off to the side. The man, who looks to be about a decade older than Robin, straightens and takes a moment to wipe the sweat that had accumulated above his brow. Noticing Robin, he calls out to him. "Afternoon!" He greets. Robin stops to look at him.

"Afternoon." He replies with a nod.

"You look familiar." The man says, his eyes narrowing.

"I imagine you've seen me walking to or from town." Robin replies cautiously.

The man examines him for a moment before his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Now I remember! A few months ago, you came by with a younger lad to drop of some grain. Your name is Will, right?"

Robin smiles. "Will was the other man you were referring to. My name is Robin."

The man wipes his hands on his trousers and offers one to him. "It's good to see you again, Robin. Name's Thomas Avery."

Robin shakes his hand. "It's nice to meet you Thomas."

"If you don't need to hurry off, I could use some help chopping some wood. Strong lad like you could get it done fairly quickly." He says, motioning to the pile of logs beside him.

"I'd be happy to help." He smiles. He removes his cloak, and sets it aside with his quiver and bow. Thomas hands him the axe.

"I hope you don't mind that I leave you for a moment." The man says, motioning behind his cottage. "I also have some gardening to do."

"Not at all. I'll come find you once I've finished."

* * *

It takes him about an hour to chop all the wood in the pile but he finally throws the newly split logs on the pile. Setting the axe down, he looks up to notice a young woman watching him as she and an older man approach on horses. Stopping a few feet away, the man looks down his nose at him.

"You, boy." He says. "Where's your master? I've come to collect his rent."

Robin glances at the woman who flashes him a smile. "He's out back in his garden." Robin replies. "Would you like me to fetch him for you?"

"No need." He says, waving him off. He dismounts and throws his reins to Robin before turning to the woman. "I'll be right back. Stay here until I return."

She gives the man a sweet smile. "Yes, Father."

He turns back to Robin and sizes him up before heading in the direction of the garden. Robin begins to pick up his things when he hears the woman speak.

"I know who you really are." She says.

"Do you?" Robin grins. "Who am I?"

"You're not a servant, that's for sure." She giggles. She leans forward slightly in her saddle, causing her plaited light red hair hang down. Her green eyes watch him with a playful smile tugging at her lips. "You're Robin Hood." She says, quietly.

Robin's grin falters slightly before he gives her a charming smile. "And how would you know that?"

She straightens once more. "I've seen your wanted poster all over while travelling with my father." She smirks. "It doesn't do you justice."

He nods. "If you've seen my posters, you know I'm a wanted man."

"I do." She nods. "But that can be our little secret."

He chuckles. "What's your name?"

"Lovetta Jennings." She replies. "My father is Lord Jennings."

"So you're a noblewoman." Robin says.

"Good eye. Was it my clothes that gave it away?" She grins, glancing at the cottage then back. "Let's make a deal."

"A deal?" Robin scoffs.

"Yes. I like talking to you. You're much better company than the suitors my father has lined up for me." She smiles. "My father is close with the King and would take great pleasure in turning you in."

Robin's frowns. "I bet he would."

"So, in return for me keeping your identity a secret, I want you to visit me tomorrow at Lekberg Manor."

With a humorless laugh, Robin shakes his head. "I'm flattered by your invitation, Lady Lovetta but it's a bit improper asking a strange man you just met to your home. Besides, I don't think your father would approve."

"That's why you'd come at night, in secret." She smiles.

"Your father –."

"He'd kill you or turn you in to King John if he saw." She grins. "Don't get seen."

"As tempting as that is, I can't. I'm sorry."

She frowns. "I take it you already have somebody special waiting for you at home."

"Not entirely." He sighs. "It's a bit complicated."

Lord Jennings and Thomas round the corner, talking to each other.

"Well, if you change your mind or need a distraction from your complicated situation, you know where to find me." She smiles.

Lord Jennings approaches. Robin hands him the reins once more and waits as he climbs into the saddle.

Once they are gone once more, Robin looks off after them.

"I see you chopped all the wood." Thomas observes. "I can't really pay you but our garden produces some delicious vegetables. You're welcome to take some with you on your travels."

Grinning to himself, Robin shakes his head. "That's alright, Thomas. I'm just happy to get some fresh air and clear my mind."

Thomas nods. "I hope whatever is troubling you works itself out."

Robin turns to look at him. "Me too."

Shouldering his quiver and bow, he puts his cloak, thanks Thomas and heads back to the Sanctuary.

* * *

Later that night, after Isaac as fallen asleep on his hammock, I pull on my cloak and sneak away to the main deck. A roll of thunder sounds as water cascades down from the heavens, soaking everything in sight. Pulling my hood up, I cross the deck and pause before the door to Leiv's quarters. Guilt wells up in me as I try to think of what I was going to say.

I take a deep breath and knock. I wait for what seems like forever and receive no response. I knock again and wait before pushing the door open. The torches are lit but I see no sign of Leiv from where I stand. "Leiv?" I say, stepping further in the room to see if he's lying on his bed but he's not. I sigh and am about to turn to leave, when I feel a hand slip around my waist as I hear the door get pushed shut.

"I was afraid you wouldn't show." I hear him mutter as he moves my hair from my neck and trails kisses along it.

My heart beat quickens and I sigh. From his gentle caresses and soft kisses, I feel myself being drawn in but stop. I turn to face him and our gazes lock. "It's been a very long day." He smiles. "I have been waiting for this." He leans in but I reluctantly put my hand on his chest to stop him.

"I can't." I whisper.

He stops and leans back slightly. "Why not? You seemed very sure about it earlier." He frowns. "Have I done something to upset you or make you change your mind?"

I shake my head. "I want this but…"

"But let me guess. Isaac found out and convinced you to not go through with it."

"Kind of." I nod. "He didn't know about what happened earlier today but he suspected that something was between us." I pause. "My situation prior to coming on this voyage is complicated and Isaac knew that. He wants to protect me from getting hurt. He had me promise him that what happened between us won't happen again."

Leiv rubs the back of his neck uneasily as averts my gaze. "I wish I had a say in all this but…" He lets out a sigh. "I guess I can understand. A promise is a promise."

Seeing his heartbroken expression, I feel tears beginning to form. "I'm so sorry, Leiv." I reach for his hand and give it a light squeeze. "Please forgive me."

His hand covers mine and he gives me a small smile. "I'm sorry too."

As I leave him, I feel guilt ripping me apart while a small part of me was proud of holding up my promise to Isaac. Now I just hope I don't regret it.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Hey everyone! I made two polls to gauge how you're feeling about the current pairings and who you think Eva should end up with. You can find them the links on my profile. Please vote! I love hearing from you guys! :)_**


	14. I'll Wait For You

**Day 7**

The rain seemed never ending. It down poured for two days which was fine with me. Since I had to tell Leiv that I couldn't continue with our blossoming relationship, I found it best to stay below deck, no matter how nauseating the smell was.

Once the storm had passed, we set sail once more and began making our way north. It wasn't until about midday before I dared to venture above deck while Isaac listened to the other men tell stories of their sexual conquests in Aberdeen. I sit on the stairs leading up to the upper deck, looking out in the distance watching the rise and fall of the water. Filling my lungs with the salty sea air, I daydream about meeting Alastair for the first time. Will he look like William? Will he greet me as a sister-in-law or would he want nothing to do with me? Thinking of the latter, I frown.

"I'm surprised to see you above deck."

Hearing his voice, I close my eyes for a moment before turning my head to look at him. "I would have stayed down there longer had it not been for my need for fresh air."

Leiv chuckles as he sits down beside me and hands me a pewter cup. "Nothing like the smell of urine, vomit and unwashed men to make you want to abandon your hideout." Using his teeth to pry the cork from the bottle of wine he was carrying, he pours some into both of our cups then sets it down by his feet. He raises his cup. "To William." He smiles. "May he find peace, wherever he is."

"To William." I smile. We each take a drink and silence falls between us. I lower my cup and stare down at the contents. "I'm surprised you're still talking to me."

He glances at me. "Why? Because of our conversation the other night?"

I nod. "I feel terrible for leading you on."

He looks down at his cup with a sigh. "You didn't lead me on." He says quietly.

I shift to face him, a frown tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Yes, I did. I gave the impression that something could happen between us when it can't."

He looks up at me and grins. "You told me yourself that you wanted it just as much as I do. Regardless of your own desires, you stopped it so that you could keep your promise to Isaac. How can I be mad at you for honoring your word?"

I look down and he nudges me. "Maybe one day, it really will happen. Kemst þó hægt fari."

I glance at him. "What does that mean?"

"It means, 'You will reach your destination even though you travel slowly.'" He smiles. "If I must wait, I will. You're a woman worth waiting for, Eva."

I smile at him and for a fleeting moment, I think about Robin. If and when I return to England, will he still be waiting for me? Or will he find another woman like he did when he was in the holy land?

I feel a pang of jealousy but quickly push it away. I wouldn't blame him for finding somebody new. I broke things off between us and left without any indication that I would return.

"So," He says, bringing me from my thoughts. "Are you nervous?"

Turning my head to look at him, I raise an eyebrow. "About what?"

He shrugs. "Going to Scotland after all this time and meeting Will's family."

I exhale. "More than I can say." I frown. "With Will's passing, who knows how I will be received. With my luck, his brother will probably think I'm only there to claim ownership or get money from him. Either that or that I'm an imposter."

"I can assure you that that won't happen." He says, taking a drink of his wine.

"How do you know?"

As he lowers his cup, I notice his smirk. "The night you came to break things off, I was just coming back from town. I sent a rider with a letter for Alastair telling him that I was coming to visit him to discuss a serious matter."

I frown. "Did you tell him about me or about William?"

He shakes his head. "No. News like that is better to give in person. As for you, I'd rather present you in person." He smiles. "I'll vouch for you that you are indeed William's wife."

For a moment, I'm unsure of what to say. I place a hand on his arm and allow a smile to spread across my face as our eyes meet. "Thank you, Leiv. You have no idea how much that means to me."

He returns my smile as he covers my hand with his. "I know."

I lean in to give him an appreciative peck on the cheek just as I see Isaac starting to climb up on deck from the corner of my eye. I turn just as he notices us and I see him frown.

Standing, I hand the cup back to Leiv. "Thanks for everything, Leiv. The wine and letter were definitely what I needed to lift my spirits." I say. "See you at dinner?"

He nods. "See you then."

Turning away from him, I stride over to Isaac. "Heard enough stories?" I smirk.

"For the meantime. After noticing you weren't with me, I came looking for you." He says, casting a sideways glance at Leiv.

I shrug. "I needed some air. Being around unwashed men for a few days was starting to nauseate me."

Isaac nods as he glances over at Leiv once more. "What was that all about?" He asks.

I roll my eyes. "Relax. I gave him a small kiss on the cheek to thank him."

He shoots me an annoyed glance. "Yeah, you seem to be thanking him a lot lately."

"It wasn't like that." I say with an impatient wave. I grab his arm and pull him with me to the railing. "He was telling me that he sent a rider with a message to Will's brother, Alastair." I grin.

His brows knit together in a confused expression. "He knows Alastair?"

"Apparently. I don't know how. I was about to ask him when you showed up." I glance at Leiv who is now talking to one of his men. "The kiss you saw was me thanking him for telling Alastair about our voyage. Hopefully, he'll be able to get us an audience."

Isaac sighs. "That would make things easier for us." He lowers his voice. "What if he's lying?"

"About what?"

He shrugs. "All of it. The letter and knowing Alastair. Think about it. He obviously has feelings for you and I'm sure he's willing to say anything to make you happy. Lie or not."

I roll my eyes. "Isaac, you're being paranoid."

"And you're being careless." He shoots back.

I feel the heat rise to my cheeks as I feel my anger bubbling up inside me. "Do you trust me?"

He gives me a confused expression. "What?"

"Do. You. Trust me?" I ask.

"Of course I trust you."

"Then trust me when I say I trust him and that nothing is going on between us. I promised you that I wouldn't encourage him any further and I haven't." I say. I point off towards the stairs. "What you saw over there was exactly as I said it was. He told me about the letter and I thanked him. That was it."

He lets out a weary sigh. "Fine. I'm sorry. You're right. I've been overreacting and questioning your judgment was wrong."

"Thank you." I say, stepping back slightly. "If it makes you feel any better, at dinner tonight, we can ask him how he knows Alastair. You were trained to spot when somebody is lying so you can watch and make a verdict. Deal?"

He nods. "Deal."

* * *

Later that night, we sat at the wooden table across from Leiv so Isaac could watch him as we spoke while we ate.

"Leiv, can I ask you something?" I begin. From the corner of my eye, I see Isaac look up from his food.

Leiv nods. "Of course. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." I nod. "When we were talking earlier, I never got to ask you the story behind how you know Alastair."

"I'm surprised Will never told you." He says. "Him, Alastair and I have known each other since we were boys."

My brows knit together. "But how? You told me you grew up in Denmark?"

"I did." He nods. "My father was a farmer and a warrior. When I came of age, my brothers and I joined him on a raiding expedition in Scotland. One night, while our raiding party was camped in the forest not far from where we were going to raid, I foolishly went out alone to scout the enemy. Since I was young and inexperienced on the battlefield, I wanted to show my father and the raiding party that I was just as good as my brothers."

"What happened?" I frowned.

"I was captured and placed in this caged wagon like an animal." He says. "They spoke in such a strange language that I couldn't understand a word they were saying. I had no idea who they were or where they were taking me."

"Why didn't they just kill you?" Isaac asks.

Leiv shrugs. "I'm guessing they wanted to sell me off. We traveled for days yet only once did they let me out of the cage. When they finally did, I killed them, took their weapons and tried to make my way back to my raiding party." He uses his knife to cut a chunk of cheese and takes a bite. "Somehow in that time, I had wandered off towards Galloway."

Isaac shakes his head. "So where does Alastair and William come into this?"

Leiv smirks. "I traveled for days without eating. I traveled mostly at night and slept for maybe an hour or two in stables. In one village, I was caught stealing food and was arrested. Since I was in Will and Alastair's father's Dukedom, I was taken to him to answer for my crimes." He takes another bite of cheese. "When I was brought in front of the Duke, William had just been knighted and was there when I was sentenced to hang." He shakes his head. "While I sat in the dungeon waiting for my execution, the Duke apparently had a change of heart. Instead I was whipped and put to work in the castle."

"How did that work?" Isaac ask, skeptically. "You said yourself you didn't speak their language. What good were you if you didn't understand?"

Leiv shrugs. "Over time, I picked up a little and both William and his sister Mary helped me."

"He has a sister?" I ask.

"Did." He corrects. "She passed away a few years ago." Seeing my sorrowful expression, he continues. "Once I learned to speak their language, all three of them continued to help me. William taught me to read and write. Alastair sparred with me and taught me to use Scottish weapons."

"What about Mary?" Isaac asks.

"Mary taught me Scottish dances, how to dress like a Scot and courtly manners." He smiles. "We were like family."

"Did you ever return home?" I frown. "I imagine you probably missed it and your family."

"I did." He nods. "Much to Mary and Alastair's dismay, Will convinced a merchant to take me on as an apprentice. I learned a lot and was able to save up enough money to eventually return home. By then my father had died and my older brother was married and had become a farmer."

"Did you stay in contact with Will and his family after you left?" I ask.

"Of course. We wrote to each other often." He frowns. "While it's unfortunate that it'll never be the 4 of us ever again, I'm thankful that Alastair is still alive and in good health." He glances at me. "You'll like him. He's so much like Will."

The very thought makes my eyes begin to tear up and I have to look away. "I can't wait to meet him." I say before I stand up, abruptly causing both men to look up at me. "I'm going to go get some air." I say before quickly walking above deck. Once out in the fresh air, stride over to the railing and exhale. After a while I'm joined by Isaac.

"Well?" I ask him, before he can speak. "What's the verdict? Do you still think he's lying?" I turn to look at him.

"Unless he's really good at concealing it, no."

I nod. "That's settled then." I look back out at the water and I feel him place a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

I nod. "Yeah." I pause for a moment before lowering my voice. "I don't know how I'm going to handle meeting Alastair. To meet somebody who is just like William fills me with so much happiness and saddens me at the same time." My brows crease together as I glance at him. "Does that make sense?"

"It does. If Alastair looks or acts like his older brother, it'll give you a chance to have a piece of William but at the same time, it might reopen the wounds left over from his loss." He sighs, leaning his elbows on the railing. "It's both a blessing and a curse."

"Kind of like leaving England."

He shoots me a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

Coming to lean on the railing beside him, I shrug. "It's a blessing we left since we're being hunted by the King yet it's a curse that I'm taking you away from your life." I look away from him as the guilt grips my heart like a vice. "Isaac, about what you said…"

"Eva, don't. At the time, I was angry—"

I turn to face him. Shaking my head, I meet his gaze. "No. Let me say this." He purses his lips and waits, the guilt of his past words written on his face. I run a hand through my hair with a sigh. "What I wanted to say is you're right. When I arrived at Theo's shop, I could tell that you were far more relaxed than you've been in months. You looked happy and I was selfish for not thinking about your safety." I feel the tears beginning to breach the waterline of my eyes but I hold it back. My voice betrays me as it begins to break as I continue. "I am so sorry that you didn't get a chance to tell Sabine about us. Hopefully everything goes according to plan and we can return swiftly to England."

Moving closer, he wraps an arm around my shoulders. "As nice as that would be, I would feel better if you returned with me and were more at ease. If going to Scotland and speaking to Alastair puts your mind and soul at ease, then I will stay here as long as it takes." He offers me a grin. "As your unofficial brother, I want you to be happy. You deserve it."

I smile and reach up to touch my hand. "Thank you, Isaac. As do you."


End file.
